Green Party criticises Harborough council leader over comments to ‘scrap climate emergency declaration’
Three Green Party councillors have called on Harborough District Council to not scrap its climate emergency declaration, after the council leader made his stance on climate change clear in an online post.
Cllr Simon Whelband, leader of Harborough District Council, posted his views on net zero on Facebook over the weekend.
The council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and has been committed to becoming net zero by 2030.
The councillor wrote: “I believe the language of a continuing “climate emergency” is alarmist, and setting an arbitrary net zero deadline is the wrong way to make policy.
“It puts a target ahead of the practical consequences, costs and benefits of the decisions we take.
“I therefore believe the time has come for Harborough District Council to rescind its Climate Emergency declaration and move away from its net zero target.”
While he said he does not think sensible environmental improvements should be abandoned, he claimed: “... we should do those things because they make sense for Harborough and deliver tangible benefits for our residents - not because we are chasing an arbitrary net zero deadline.”
In a statement sent to The Harborough Mail, Cllr Whelband made clear that this post was his own personal view and does not represent a change in the Council’s current policy.
He said: “I do, however, believe we were wrong to declare a Climate Emergency and pursue an arbitrary net zero target, and that the council should reconsider its position.
“Any formal change would need to go through the appropriate democratic process.”
Green Party councillors Darren Woodiwiss, Rose Forman and Dr Lynne Taylor reacted to the post, urging the council not to follow the “growing trend, led by Reform councils, to scrap the climate emergency declaration”.
They said: “The Conservative council leader has said that declaring an emergency is "alarmist", and yes, we are alarmed that more action is not being taken to address this clear and deadly problem.
“This year was yet again the hottest year on record, and according to the Met Office, in July more than 2,700 people were thought to have died from heat-related causes during May and June alone.
“It is an undeniable fact that climate change is the reason for this, and for the council leader to say that setting net zero targets are arbitrary dilutes the message that action needs to happen now.”