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Monday 18 February 2019

District Council rejects considering motion "to recognise that Climate Change and Global Warming are the key issues of our time, to acknowledge the strong concerns of young people and for the council to commit to introducing a policy of carbon measurement and reduction"

Young people in Devon are saying very clearly that something has to be done about the threat of climate change:
Futures Forum: School Strike for Climate Action > letter from a Devon dad
Futures Forum: School Strike for Climate Action UK > Friday 15th February > reports from Sidmouth
Futures Forum: School Strike for Climate Action UK > Friday 15th February > reports from Devon

And the County Council is taking these threats seriously:
Futures Forum: Climate emergency: Devon to go carbon neutral by 2050

But the District Council is not, as reported by Devon Live: 

Electric charging points and climate change motions rejected from being discussed

Various motions that councillors had put forward for debate at East Devon District Council’s full council meeting on Wednesday, February, were rejected by the council’s chief executive

COMMENTS

By Daniel Clark Local Democracy Reporter
UPDATED 15:10, 18 FEB 2019


Motions to support recycling, to call for a new property ombudsman to streamline complaints against shoddy builders, and for East Devon to get its fair share of the police precept rise will be discussed at next Wednesday’s full council meeting.

But motions over the full relocation costs of the move from Sidmouth to Honiton, to put electric charging points in all car parks, what to prioritise in a ‘No Deal’ Brexit and on climate change will not be discussed.

Various motions that councillors had put forward for debate at East Devon District Council’s full council meeting on Wednesday, February, were rejected by the council’s chief executive, as either the agenda already provides the opportunity for debate or the wording of the motions were inaccurate.


CLIMATE CHANGE

Cllr Matthew Booth’s motion had called for the council to recognise that Climate Change and Global Warming are the key issues of our time, to acknowledge the strong concerns of young people in particular the recent walk out of school children and for the council to commit to introducing a policy of carbon measurement and reduction within all aspects of its own activity.

He said: “I personally do not care how we begin to do this, or who does it, but that we act now not wait for some planned strategy in the future.”


An EDDC spokesman said that the issue of climate change emergency is acknowledged to be of critical importance but that it would be appropriate to wait to see what Devon County Council decides. They added: “Currently, however, the County Council is considering its position and will shortly debate the matter. As we are in a two tier area it is appropriate for the District Council to assess the position taken by the upper tier authority and then respond accordingly. The public would expect us to work in partnership with the County Council rather than unilaterally.” 

Relocation cost, No Deal Brexit, electric charging points and climate change motions rejected from being discussed - Devon Live

This follows on from the demonstrations in Exeter on Friday: 
Futures Forum: School Strike for Climate Action UK > Friday 15th February > reports from Devon

As covered by Devon Live:

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Cllr Booth was there and made his points very clear, again as reported by Devon Live: 

Cllr Matt Booth, who sits on East Devon District Council, had submitted a motion calling for the council to recognise that Climate Change and Global Warming are the key issues of our time, that there are strong concerns of young people, and that the council should commit to introducing a policy of carbon measurement and reduction. However, the motion has been rejected for debate at the next East Devon District Council meeting.

Cllr Booth said: “I see it as essential that the Council is seen to be taking this very seriously, for everybody especially the younger generation, and certainly be seen to be debating it. The motion proposed that we must focus on the main critical issue that we face, as outlined by the IPCC report, and that is for this Council to immediately address the urgent need to reduce carbon in the atmosphere to slow down global warming.”

Last year the IPCC’s 15th Special Report warned of the devastation a 2°C rise in global temperatures would cause. A 2°C rise in global temperatures, it said, would put up to 30% of all species at risk of extinction.

But by reducing emissions and thereby limiting warming to 1.5°C, 50% fewer species would be at risk of significant habitat loss, 10 million fewer people would lose their homes due to sea level rises and 420 million fewer people would be exposed to extreme heatwaves.

Hundreds of Devon pupils swap school for climate change protest - live updates - Devon Live

The District Council's CEO has rejected another motion to be put to the council:

ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING

Cllr Eleanor Rylance had submitted a motion calling for the council to plan for and implement over the next five years a full rolling renovation programme of its car parks estates to fit and bring into operation electrical charging points at every space for domestic cars, and cycle parks with charging points for all types of cycle and that there should be mandatory EV charging points for the parking spaces of every new-built house in East Devon.

She added: “This council should approach the future of electrically-powered domestic vehicles with enthusiasm and proactivity, play a positive role in helping develop the use of electrical and should make this infrastructure, that will be a necessity within the next ten years, available in advance of full electrification of domestic vehicles in 2042.

But an EDDC spokesman said: ““The agenda already provides an opportunity for this issue to be raised so this motion was inappropriate.”


READ MORE
Passionate youth campaigners say 'it's our future being threatened' as they demand carbon neutral Devon by 2030

Relocation cost, No Deal Brexit, electric charging points and climate change motions rejected from being discussed - Devon Live
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