Climate Change Action

October 2007

Cambridge Labour Councillors are supporting the city’s new 2007 ‘Cambridge Climate Change Charter’ having also supported its 2006 ‘Climate Change Declaration’ a year ago, but Labour wants to see the city stepping up real action to cool the planet, not just more warm word.

The ‘Cambridge Climate Change Charter’ comes 15 months after Labour proposed a full Council motion calling on the Council to establish a climate change partnership with major city organisations and businesses, and for the city council to lead by example with quantified carbon reduction.

Labour Councillors are now calling on the Lib Dem city council for a ‘Five Point Carbon Reduction Plan’

1 - a focus on action not talk, to engage all Cambridge businesses and organisations in the new Charter, who want a results focus not just speeches

2 - quantified carbon reduction at the heart of the strategy

3 - Cambridge City Council to lead by becoming a ‘zero carbon council’, leading by example (by implementing all the measures at www.lgiu.gov.uk/images/uploaded/CZCPoster.pdf )

4 - major initiative to insulate private sector homes including to heat up older people this winter AND cut carbon emissions

5 - a major awareness campaign to engage all residents, students and employees.

City Labour Leader Cllr Lewis Herbert said ‘We fully support climate change and want to see real action in Cambridge to help save the Antarctic iceshelf, and reduce flooding in East Anglia. But we can’t cool the planet only with warm words. We need actions, a city council leading by example, and quantifiable reductions in local carbon tonnages released into the atmosphere.’