Council to vote on scrapping climate action as Sunderland hit by heatwave
Plans to scrap local action to help tackle the climate crisis and make Sunderland a fairer, safer and greener place to live are “dangerously shortsighted”, local environmental justice campaigners have warned.
The motions to end Sunderland City Council’s Climate Emergency Declaration and prevent its City of Sanctuary accreditation, tabled by Reform UK councillors, will be debated at a full council meeting today (24 June) at 4pm.
The motion says it would review all spending commitments linked to the declaration. This could affect critical local partnerships, including with the NHS, fire service and business leaders, aimed at cutting harmful emissions to protect local people from the health risks of extreme weather and pollution.
Ahead of the vote, a spokesperson from Climate Action Sunderland said:
“With lives at risk from soaring temperatures in Sunderland and across the country, it’s clear that the climate crisis is already hitting home.
“That’s why Reform’s policies locally and nationally are dangerously shortsighted. They would undo progress towards tackling the threat of worsening weather extremes and unravel action aimed at improving people's lives and protecting communities.
“These policies aren’t only good for people, they’re good for business too. The green economy is worth £2.7 billion to the North East – that’s 34,700 long-term jobs – and it’s growing.
“Our city could be at the forefront of the transition to a greener economy. It’s home to one of the country’s largest battery factories to power electric vehicles and a major vehicle manufacturer. People in Sunderland are already taking action and we’re seeing growth in EVs, solar panels and heat pumps.
“But we need council action to match their efforts. Far from being a luxury, these policies are practical investments that save money, improve health and make Sunderland a fairer, safer and greener place to live.”
The council is also set to debate a motion to prevent Sunderland achieving City of Sanctuary Accreditation and the introduction of a strong communities strategy.
Climate Action Sunderland’s spokesperson added:
“We are also dismayed to learn that the new council wants to remove Sunderland’s City of Sanctuary status. We are specifically aware of the vibrant Ukrainian community that now calls Sunderland home and so removing sanctuary status again sends a negative message to people who have come here fleeing the most awful war zones in different parts of the world.”
ENDS
Notes:
Recent analysis by the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit, with analysis provided by the independent consultancy CBI Economics and The Data City, finds that the ‘net zero’ economy is generating around £105 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) and supporting 1.1 million jobs across the economy. That includes £2.7billion GVA to the North East and 34,700 green jobs.
About Climate Action Sunderland: Climate Action Sunderland is a formally constituted UK Community Interest Company dedicated to educating and empowering individuals and organisations to make environmentally conscious decisions. We collaborate with like-minded groups to influence policy changes, and promote sustainable practices.