East Riding of Yorkshire Council launches new Climate Change Strategy

East Riding of Yorkshire Council has launched its Climate Change Strategy 2022-2030, establishing a strategic vision and setting priorities for rapid decarbonisation and building climate resilience in East Riding.

The council declared a climate emergency in February 2021 and this strategy has been developed to highlight our commitment to delivering net zero and building climate resilience across the East Riding. We have sought feedback from our communities, businesses and partners during the development of the strategy and have collated thousands of responses which we have incorporated into the strategy.

The council is committed to achieving net zero through reducing carbon emissions across council operations. Although the council is only directly responsible for a small proportion of carbon emissions in East Riding, we recognise our role to lead and influence behaviours and ambitions on climate change across the county.

The strategy sets out key priorities and opportunities for climate action across the East Riding, which have been shaped by analysis of local data, expertise from across the authority, feedback from partners and public consultation.

The strategy takes an integrated approach to climate change, considering how we become more resilient to the changing climate (climate adaptation) and how we can minimise future warming by reducing our emissions of greenhouse gases (climate mitigation).

The news comes whilst globally world leaders meet to discuss action to tackle climate change at the COP27 climate summit in Egypt. United Nations (UN) climate summits are held every year, for governments to agree steps to limit global temperature rises.

The Climate Change Strategy has been designed to set the East Riding on a path to net zero by establishing a flexible road map which can be developed over time as new policies and strategies are introduced that impact our climate ambitions.

The Climate Change Strategy proposes climate action to be taken across a series of eight priority areas:

• transport
• energy
• waste
• environment
• buildings
• economy
• net zero council
• climate resilience.

It has been developed to cover the period 2022 - 2030 with the aim to kickstart rapid action, to reduce emissions and build resilience. A flexible approach will enable the council and its partners to reassess the position in 2030 to ensure the strategy remains aligned with evolving policy, legislation, and technological changes.

A more detailed action plan outlining immediate plans and projects aligned to the strategy will be developed covering the period 2022 - 2025.

Following this, the action plan will be reviewed and updated every five years. Climate action will be monitored annually and will be scrutinised at regular meetings of Environment and Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee. Updates will be provided through the council’s Environmental Statement.

The council is also exploring options to bring people together across the East Riding to discuss recommendations for future climate action. This is with the aim of enabling regular two-way dialogue and the sharing of ideas with and across local community representatives.

Councillor Jonathan Owen, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: "We declared a climate emergency in February 2021 and this spurred on the development of the strategy and has placed a focus on sustainability and climate change across the organisation.

"What our research and consultation has shown is that while the challenges are great, opportunities for the council to facilitate change and lead by example are within our grasp and we are determined to do everything we can to tackle the climate emergency.

“COP27 is focusing the mind on the challenges and opportunities climate change presents at a global level, and from a local perspective this strategy highlights our commitment to tackling climate change in the East Riding.

"Engaging with our local residents, businesses and partners has been key to developing the strategy and we are fully committed to working with and supporting everyone across the East Riding on their climate action."

To view the full Climate Change Strategy in full, please visit: https://www.eastriding.gov.uk/environment/sustainable-environment/climate-change/climate-change-what-we-do/