St Helens Labour have called on the government and other world leaders to make the most of COP26, and also to properly fund local councils so we can tackle climate change here in our local areas directly and urgently.

The motion (below) was brought by Labour Cllr Mancyia Uddin and seconded by Labour Cllr Robyn Hattersley.

Cllr Mancyia Uddin, the council’s first ever Climate Change Champion, says: “I want to thank everyone who supported the COP26 motion highlighting the excellent work the Council is doing that I am extremely proud of, and calling for further support from Government so we can go further and create longer-lasting change. The necessity to act couldn’t be clearer than it is now and that is why we are investing in our future, making our borough cleaner and greener for those who’ll come after us.” 

The full motion reads:

COP26 is a critical moment for our planet and our country. This year, the UK will be hosting the summit and all eyes will be on us. To provide serious leadership on this, the Government needs to have established the UK’s own credibility here at home, something that has been sorely lacking in recent years with policy reversals and contradictory investments. The Government now has an opportunity to step up, show global leadership and raise ambition.

This summer we have seen more evidence of the immediate impact of climate change, including rampant wildfires in America, hundreds of people killed by extreme floods in Germany and China and the Met Office issuing its first ever extreme heat warning in the UK.

Climate change can and will affect us all.

The urgency to act is clearer than ever and we must push the limits of what is possible in Glasgow.

This Council RESOLVES to:

a) Recognise this is an opportunity for the UK Government to radically shape global action on climate change, and to use the opportunity to shape how climate change is tackled in the UK.
b) Recognises the positive steps St Helens Borough Council has already taken to tackle climate change locally. Such as; setting up a Climate Commission and our intention to set up a Youth Climate Commission; committed £1.2million to support local groups and businesses to decarbonise; our continued work with local industry on energy transition projects and global research and innovation and our commitment to continue to work with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority on many more innovative programmes that will encourage a true and lasting change.
c) Note that Local Government has the ability, knowledge and tools to make an impact at a local level. However, councils have seen their funding from Conservative Government cut by over 60p in every £1 since 2010, which has had a crippling effect on services and will severely impact the ability of Councils to reach their full potential in tackling the causes of climate change.
d) Raise with Ministers the case for Local Government having a stronger role in tackling climate change and call for the UK Government to provide Councils with the resource and powers necessary to take even more ambitious action to tackle climate change.
e) State our support for substantial public investment in a green economic recovery that tackles the climate emergency, creates green jobs and is underpinned by a fair deal for workers.
f) Continue to review the progress made by St Helens Council in meeting the goals and objectives set out in our Climate Emergency declaration.
g) Continue to work with employers in the borough, including businesses, the third sector, charities and the public sector through the Climate Commission and encourage them to take steps to reduce their carbon emissions and operate in a more sustainable way.