Newbury Town Council endorses Government climate bill

Newbury Town Council has issued a declaration in support of the Climate and Ecology Emergency Bill, currently being debated in Parliament.

Chris Foster (Lib Dem, Wash Common), who chairs the town council's Climate Emergency Working Group, brought the bill to the attention of his colleagues, in light of COP26 – the global climate conference being staged in Glasgow from Sunday (October 31).

Among other provisions, the bill would enshrine the UK's commitments under the Paris Agreement in law.

In addition, it would establish a 'Climate and Nature Assembly' to represent the British public in the development of a national environmental strategy.

Town council leader Martin Colston (Lib Dem, West Fields) said: "The council unanimously declared its support for the Climate and Ecology Bill.

"We will also call on Laura Farris MP urging her to support the Bill, and to lobby the UK Government to push for COP26 to adopt a carbon budget that would limit warming to 1.5°C.

"As a council, we will also consider how to prioritise a joined-up approach to the climate and ecological emergency in the annual strategy review and our forthcoming budget allocations for 2022/23."