Torridge District Council's admission that it is not going to meet its 2030 target of achieving net zero has alarmed local Green Party councillors and members.
The worrying news came in a recent report on the council’s carbon footprint delivered to the authority's Community and Resources (C&R) committee. Green Party councillor Peter Hames, who is the district council's Lead Member for Climate Change, said afterwards: "January 2024 saw the UK break records for high temperatures due to climate change.
”Thanks to efforts by Green Party councillors, other members and the hard work of council officers, Torridge has made good progress over the last few years in publishing a carbon reduction plan and providing data regarding the authority’s carbon footprint. Yet a national survey [Climate Emergency UK] has ranked TDC as one of the worst performing district councils in England (149 out of 164 district authorities) in terms of efforts to tackle climate change.”
The C&R meeting was told TDC was doing its best within the scope of limited finances but this is disputed by Green Party councillors, who say the authority isn't showing any sense of urgency or ambition in trying to reach net zero.
Councillor Huw Thomas (Green, Bideford East) said: "We recognise that as a district with a small population and a large rural area to serve, Torridge faces particular challenges, especially after more than a decade of brutal cuts by Conservative governments.”
He added: “It’s true that urban authorities with large populations can meet some targets much more easily and cheaply. However, there are plenty of mainly rural authorities - as well as every other council in Devon - that appear to be achieving more than TDC.
"If TDC is serious about really wanting to achieve net zero then it needs to commit finance and actions, not just words and vague aspirations. Plans to bid for external funding are not enough.
"The initial cost of the transition to net zero might be high but the long term cost of prevarication and inaction will be much higher."
Alison Stephenson covered the C&R committee meeting for the North Devon Gazette. You can read her report here.
CO2 emissions photo - Credit: Matthias Heyde/Unsplash
