New group to examine Shropshire Council’s role in tackling climate change

A group has been set up to examine how Shropshire Council is working to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate and adapt to climate change.

The ‘task and finish group’ is made up of councillors from different political parties.

The group will review Shropshire Council’s existing work to reduce its CO2 output, scrutinise existing council policy and practice, recommend policy changes that would support further carbon reduction, and identify opportunities to reduce spending and generate income by adopting low-carbon technology and practices.

It’s due to meet several times in the coming weeks, before reporting to the council’s Place Overview Committee in September. The overview committee can then make recommendations to the council’s Cabinet.

Solar panels on the roof of Shirehall in Shrewsbury

Councillor Joyce Barrow, Chair of the Place Overview Committee, said:

“Tackling climate change is a top priority internationally, nationally and locally, and Shropshire Council has a key role to play in providing local leadership, and as an organisation meeting carbon reduction targets. We also have the opportunity to reduce spending and generate income by adopting low-carbon technology and practices. The work of this task and finish group is therefore hugely important and I look forward to receiving the group’s report and recommendations later this year.”

Meanwhile, Councillor Dean Carroll was recently appointed as the council’s first-ever Cabinet member for climate change, to reinforce the council’s commitment to the environment.

Dean Carroll said:

“Shropshire Council takes the response to climate change very seriously and the work of this group will be an important component in the council’s overall strategy. We are committed to sustainability and reducing the council’s carbon footprint.”

Further information

The Climate Change Act, passed in 2008, committed the UK to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80 per cent by 2050 when compared to 1990 levels. The government reaffirmed this commitment in its 2017 Clean Growth Strategy. This strategy set out how the UK will reorient its economy to take advantage of the opportunities created in meeting carbon reduction targets in core sectors such as:

• power generation
• transportation, primarily road vehicles and aviation
• construction (building efficiency) and building control
• procurement of goods and services
• finance and allied professional services.