THE Green Party says Warrington is not doing enough to address the climate change emergency and is calling for drastic action to defend the planet against the threat caused by human activity.
In the same week Warrington Borough Council itself issued an appeal to residents to do all they can to combat climate change, Warrington and Halton Green Party claims the council is acting in a piecemeal way.
Group leader Lyndsay McAteer said: “Everyone has noticed that extreme weather events are increasing in frequency. Severe flooding has affected our neighbourhoods and we can no longer stand by and allow things to continue as they are.
“Warrington Borough Council has published information on their website to say how they are dealing with the climate emergency; however, this
information has arrived late in the day and addresses concerns in a piecemeal fashion.
“There are no specific targets just generalised goals. The emphasis is on roads and other carbonised transport. Cycleways are given lower priority and the high cost of public transport has not
been mentioned.
“Warrington Borough Council continues to advocate building houses on the green belt in its local plan and remains in favour of the Western Link,
a congestion by-pass which will attract higher levels of traffic and is not fit for purpose.”
Ms McAteer says the Green Party is calling for drastic action to address the concerns of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and to act in defence of the planet against the threat caused
by human activity and rising CO2 levels.
“The time for action is now – its code red which means that if we don’t take radical steps to stop our current activity, we risk ecological destruction.”
Warrington and Halton Green Party want to see a citizens’ assembly which is set up specifically to address the climate emergency.
“This would give ordinary people a voice and an opportunity to discuss actions and solutions which would have a positive impact.
“Other local action groups such as Extinction Rebellion have also been asking for a citizens panel for several years now. These voices have been ignored by the council in their desire for more and more growth.
“We cannot afford to bury our heads in the sand. We are all in danger of the effects of climate change.”
Cllr Hitesh Patel, the borough council’s cabinet member for environment, including the climate emergency, said: “The current level of human activity is bad news for our planet.
“The climate emergency is something that nobody will be immune from – it’s not just about polar bears and ice caps. We have seen locally the effects of climate change over recent years, including increased flooding and heavy downpours associated with extreme weather events. We only need to look at countries like Greece at the moment, who are dealing with significant wildfires, to know that the effects of the climate emergency are already having a profound impact.
“We can remain hopeful that if we shift our behaviours and become aware of the impact we are having on the planet, we still have the potential to determine the severity of the climate emergency on our communities – but that window of opportunity is rapidly closing.
“We need everyone to come together to play their part. It’s essential that nations come together and make binding commitments with COP26, the UN Climate Change Conference, on the horizon in the Autumn.”
But Cllr Patel added: “We have a really strong story to tell in Warrington, with recent investments in solar farms, electric vehicle infrastructure and making improvements to active and public transport. We need to continue this work so that we can meet our commitment to become carbon neutral by 2030, and we need to take you – our businesses, community organisations, residents and families – with us on this journey.”
Chairman of Warrington’s Climate Emergency Commission Cllr David Ellis said: “The climate emergency is now well and truly at the forefront of public debate and conversation – and there can be no more denying the effects that the climate emergency is having on communities around the world – with the effects only set to worsen unless we act immediately.”
