Taking steps to tackle climate emergency

Councillors in Darlington have attended a summit to address the climate emergency declared earlier this year.

Speakers at today's cross-party event, at the Morton Park Business Centre, included Jonathan Mullard, from the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Mr Mullard gave the broader national context, while Leanne Wilson, from Tees Valley Combined Authority, offered a more local perspective.

Darlington Borough Council declared a climate emergency at a meeting of Full Council in July 2019.

Councillors agreed to work towards making Darlington Borough Council carbon neutral by 2050 and called on central government to help make this possible.

Councillor Alan Marshall, Cabinet member for Economy and Regeneration spoke about the council’s plans to tackle the climate emergency in Darlington and how we all have a role to play.

He said: "The climate emergency that we declared is a statement of intent as to what the council will do to reduce polluting emissions affecting climate change to a net zero position by 2050.

"The purpose of today, primarily, was a cross-party event to raise awareness of the issues we will face as we address climate change within the borough.

"Since declaring a climate emergency, the council has taken some action to get us some way along the road on the journey we need to make.

"We have advertised for an officer, with relevant experience and skills, to join us, to co-ordinate the work we will need to do and to drive it through.

"Climate change is everybody's responsibility, whether you are a large organisation within the town, down to individual residents.

"The council has a duty to respond to that climate emergency by taking necessary actions, with the agreement of council as a whole, and hopefully to the satisfaction of our residents."

Progress on the climate emergency is to be reported back to Full Council every six months, with the next update due early in the new year.