Agenda item

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

            Following SP&R discussion in August, to consider next steps towards declaring a Climate Emergency.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       That SP&R considers the actions which should be undertaken in advance of Belfast being in a position to declare a Climate Emergency. 

2.2       To consider the recommendation of the All-Party Group on the Climate Crisis that Council should immediately declare a Climate Emergency.

3.0       Main report / key issues

3.1       The August meeting of Strategic Policy & Resources Committee agreed to refer a previous motion to declare a climate emergency to the All-Party Working Group on the Climate Crisis.  The Committee also agreed that a report be submitted to its monthly meeting in September, setting out proposed actions to be undertaken in advance of Belfast being in a position to declare a Climate Emergency, with the aim of that being before the end of 2019.

3.2       On 16th September, the All Party Working Group on the Climate Crisis met, and discussed its programme of work and the steps it will take in the coming months to better understand the scale and nature of climate risks for Belfast.  It agreed that it would work to produce a substantive report to SP&R by December, which would set out with as much detail as possible a programme of work on climate resilience. 

3.3       The December report will be informed by the following:

-       Conclusion of the ‘Mini Stern’ – an economic analysis of CO2 reductions for the city

-       Conclusion of a high level risk assessment of the city’s infrastructure and the impact of various climate related scenarios

-       Ongoing learning from cities such as Leeds, Manchester and Glasgow in developing a methodology for assessment of climate risks and a mitigation and adaptation strategy

-       An appraisal of the costs associated with developing a climate adaptation and mitigation plan as part of the annual estimates process

3.4       This work has been commissioned as part of the ongoing development of the city’s Resilience Strategy.

3.5       The All Party Working Group also discussed the matter of whether it should recommend to SP&R to declare a Climate Emergency as soon as possible.  It recognised that there is merit in waiting to conclude the work outlined above.  However, in the context of a range of recent national and global reports that point to clear and persistent risks to the city arising from climate change, the Working Group felt it should reflect the urgency of the climate crisis, and as other local councils have done, should declare a climate emergency forthwith. 

3.5       The Working Group reiterated its commitment to undertake the actions outlined in 3.3

3.7       Financial & Resource Implications

            There are no financial and resource implications at this time. The final report presented in December will include indicative costings as described above. 

3.8       Equality or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Assessment

            There are no Equality or Good Relations/ Rural Needs Assessment implications at this point.”

            The Committee approved the recommendation of the All-Party Working Group on the Climate Crisis that the Council should immediately declare a Climate Emergency.