Greens urge MPs to back climate bill to save Calderdale
Plus, council launch new emergency plan to restore nature in borough
Hello and welcome to the midweek edition of The Calderdale Lead.
On Friday a piece a Private Members Bill that will commit the country to achieve climate and nature targets gets its second reading and green groups in Calderdale are urging local MPs to back it.
As it stands, neither Halifax MP Kate Dearden nor Calder Valley MP Josh Fenton-Glynn have backed the bill, which was introduced by Lib Dem backbencher Dr Roz Savage.
We’ve got the latest on the local perspective below, including the launch of a new Ecological Emergency Action Plan to protect Calderdale’s landscapes and wildlife and promote nature conservation and restoration.
‘Why aren’t you taking it seriously?’ - Greens call on MPs to back vital bill
Calderdale’s two MPs - Kate Dearden and Josh Fenton-Glynn - have been urged to back a bill forcing the UK to achieve climate and nature targets.
The Climate and Nature Bill - which is a Private Members’ Bill introduced by Lib Dem MP Dr Roz Savage - is having it’s second reading on Friday.
A PMB is a piece of legislation that is introduced by a backbench MP, although the chance of them ever becoming ‘law’ is lower compared to bills introduced as part of the Government’s legislative agenda.
Dr Savage’s bill states its purpose is “to require the United Kingdom to achieve climate and nature targets; to give the Secretary of State a duty to implement a strategy to achieve those targets; to establish a Climate and Nature Assembly to advise the Secretary of State in creating that strategy; to give duties to the Committee on Climate Change and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee regarding the strategy and targets; and for connected purposes”.
Now, five environmental groups in the borough - led by the Calderdale Green Party - have published an open letter urging Ms Dearden and Mr Fenton-Glynn to back the bill and help it along to the next stage of the law-making process.
The letter, which is also signed by Slow the Flow, Calder Rivers Trust, Calderdale Green New Deal and Extinction Rebellion Calderdale, says Calderdale is “seriously and increasingly exposed to the threat of the climate and nature emergencies, because of the topography of the landscape, environmental degradation and global warming, risking local homes, businesses, the economy and lives.”
The Bill has been introduced to Parliament a number of times over the last five years but has always failed to secure time in the parliamentary calendar for a proper debate.
Coun Elaine Hey last night told The Calderdale Lead she was disappointed the bill was not being publicly supported by Mr Fenton-Glynn or Ms Dearden despite support from other Labour figures including Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracey Brabin and her Greater Manchester counterpart Andy Burnham.
She said: “The Bill has garnered widespread genuinely cross-party support with 190 MPS publicly confirmed.
“In West Yorkshire, several MPs from Bradford and Leeds have publicly declared their support, and it is particularly pleasing that the West Yorkshire Mayor has spoken out in favour of passing the Bill.
“It’s certainly unhelpful at a time when the Council is trying to build support for its low-carbon future.
“Clearly Calderdale has lived experience of Climate Change in action. This year will mark the tenth anniversary of the devastating Boxing Day floods of 2015 which submerged 3000 properties, caused £150 million worth of damage and left thousands of local people traumatised.
“At the same time, those of us in Eastern Calderdale are seeing the natural world destroyed around us, with giant housebuilders and fast-food chains working at pace to destroy the green spaces in the area.”
Ms Dearden, the MP for Halifax, said she was unable to attend the vote on Friday due to ‘long-standing constituency commitments’. It is believed the Mr Fenton-Glynn will also be missing for personal reasons.
But Ms Dearden said this morning (Wednesday): “I am incredibly proud of the work this Government and I are doing to protect our planet and to innovate and legislate to ensure that we reach our climate targets and commitments, and lead the way to net zero, on the global stage.
“I am committed to working with the Government to implement the legislation that we have put forward which meets the aims of the CAN bill and which takes us leaps forward in ensuring we protect the environment.
“Alongside delivering on legislation already implemented such as the Climate Change Act and Environment Act, this Government is also focused on delivering key policies that will protect our environment and accelerate us towards net zero, such as our Great British Energy Bill.
“As part of this, the Government has extended deadlines for registering over 40,000 miles of footpaths and cycling trails to become rights of way and will create nine new National River Walks and three new National Forests across England, creating conservation areas that preserve our vital biodiversity.
“More widely, when it comes to nature, the government is committed to halting the decline of species by 2030 and meeting the Environment Act targets, which include water, biodiversity, resource efficiency and tree and woodland cover.”
Calderdale Council confirmed its support for the bill when the full council met last November.
And this week, town hall chiefs have launched new Ecological Emergency Action Plan for the borough.
The Council declared an ecological emergency in 2021, acknowledging that the borough’s wildlife and wild spaces are under threat and face major challenges, many linked to the impacts of climate change.
As part of the Calderdale Climate Action Plan, which outlines the steps needed by 2026 to meet ambitious carbon net zero targets, the development of an Ecological Emergency Action Plan was identified.
The Ecological Emergency Action Plan sets out the comprehensive and long-term approach to protecting and enhancing the borough’s natural environment for the benefit of present and future generations. The plan outlines the actions to achieve the goal of protecting and improving at least 30% of Calderdale’s land, rivers and wetlands for nature by 2030.
The plan’s priorities were developed by the Wilder Calderdale partnership, a collection of organisations from the public, private, community, charitable and academic sectors, which is hosted by Calderdale Council. The priorities include:
A focus on making communities greener, with initiatives such as installing bird and bat boxes in neighbourhoods across the borough and tackling surface water through increasing natural storage.
Reintroducing grazing cattle to under-grazed areas to breathe life back into Calderdale’s meadows and ancient grasslands.
Committing to the protection and restoration of peatland across Calderdale, recognising the important role of upland landscapes for community climate and flood resilience.
Protecting rivers, waterways and wetlands, by tackling invasive species and driving action to eliminate sewage pollution.
Developing restoration plans for Calderdale’s woodlands and hedgerows, working with landowners and land managers and supporting natural regeneration and well-planned tree planting.
Protecting Calderdale’s wildlife, gathering information about local wildlife and creating a Calderdale Species Inventory to track changes in numbers and protect those at greatest risk.
Coun Scott Patient, Cabinet member for Climate Action and Housing, said: “The UK’s nature and wildlife is in devastating decline, with threats including climate change, habitat loss and invasive species.
“In Calderdale, we responded to these challenges, declaring an ecological emergency in 2021. After extensive research, we’ve now launched the borough’s action plan outlining the steps we can take to reverse the habitat loss of recent decades. With urgent effort, we can bring nature back.
“The Council is a key partner in the plan’s development and delivery, but the actions can be supported by everyone in the borough. We can all play a part in protecting and preserving our important natural environment.”
The Ecological Emergency Action plan can be viewed in full and as a quick read version here.
That’s it for this midweek edition of The Calderdale Lead.
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Andrew