Camden Lib Dems propose motion on climate emergency

The Liberal Democrat group on Camden Council proposed a motion for the last Council meeting on 13th July, calling on the Council to take the lead in reducing carbon emissions, and preparing for the inevitable impacts of climate change in Camden.

Unfortunately, other items running on for longer than expected meant that the motion was not discussed at the meeting. This is deeply disappointing, as this is such an important topic that needs to be prioritised and taken seriously by our Labour-run Camden Council.

The motion referenced the record-breaking heatwaves in May and June this year the increasing frequency of hot weather forcing schools and other public services to be closed, trains cancelled and hospitals to struggle; the growing concern over a lack of resilience to extreme weather conditions; the particular impacts that this can have on vulnerable groups; as well as the impact of climate change on the cost of living crisis, for example by driving up global food prices.

It also highlighted that the effects of climate change fall most heavily on the most disadvantaged across the world and across the United Kingdom, and that climate change needs to be recognised as a social justice as well as an environmental issue.

Cllr Matthew Kirk, who seconded the motion, said “We need to take urgent action to avoid climate catastrophe. Labour promises a lot, but the steps taken so far have not gone far enough. For example, only a tiny proportion of the council’s own estate have solar panels or heat pumps installed. We are calling on the council to produce a plan to ensure that all viable buildings owned by the council have solar panels and/or heat pumps and other sustainable ways to generate electricity installed by 2030.”

You can read the full motion, including the list of issues we are calling on the council to address, by clicking here.