Local campaign group welcomes climate change report
Shropshire Climate Action Partnership has welcomed the warning that the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change's report is the starkest warming yet of the climate emergency.
Daniel Jones, of Generation Zero Carbon Shropshire said: “The IPCC report is a welcome and overdue reminder that action on climate change isn’t something that can be put off to the future; it’s something that needs to be happening now.
"The effects of excess carbon emissions can be felt everywhere, from melting ice caps in global ecosystems like the Arctic to higher air pollution in local towns like Shrewsbury. Even several small lifestyle changes to limit our carbon footprint will add up to major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. We at Generation Zero Carbon Shropshire feel it is vital that everyone from local communities to governments makes an effort to reduce global carbon emissions, and even more vital to make sure everyone knows they can contribute to that effort.”
The Shropshire Climate Action Partnership, formed to respond to the emergency, produced its Zero Carbon Shropshire Plan at the end of 2020 and is now working with its partners towards Shropshire including Telford and Wrekin being carbon neutral by 2030.
Ian Nellins, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for climate change, natural assets and the green economy, said: “Shropshire Council recognises both the impacts that an unstable climate is already having on public services and our duty to reduce our carbon footprint and tackle the biodiversity crisis locally and globally. Whilst there is an urgent need to achieve significant emissions reductions, the transition to a low carbon economy may also generate many economic, health & wellbeing, and environmental benefits.
"As well as leading by example, Shropshire Council is working closely with SCAP to help local businesses and communities take urgent action to reduce their emissions, improve their resilience and make the most of opportunities for green growth.”
The Partnership comprises of a wide range of businesses, organisations and individual members including, amongst others, the Environment Agency, Harper Adams University, Severn Trent Water, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, Shropshire Wildlife Trust, Shropshire Council, Telford & Wrekin Council. It continues to attract new partners who share the same goals. All have pledged to work together to address carbon emissions across buildings, transport, business, consumption, energy production, nature regeneration and carbon storage
After a period of research and consultation, The Shropshire Climate Action Partnership concluded that many of the solutions and technologies needed to address this issue were already available. It said what was lacking was a coherent practical plan enabling the necessary coordinated action to achieve the 10 per cent per annum average reduction required from 2019 emissions to reach net zero by 2030. With this plan now in place there is an opportunity for local firms, organisations, stakeholder representative groups and individuals to work collaboratively on a common target.
