Good progress made tackling climate change in Doncaster

On Thursday 19 September 2019, Full Council unanimously backed Mayor Ros Jones’ motion to declare an Emergency and take swift and immediate action.

The ultimate goal to reduce carbon emissions by 85% borough-wide by 2030 and achieve net zero carbon by 2040.

Team Doncaster partners formed the Doncaster Climate and Biodiversity Commission, tasked with publishing a report with recommendations on how this crucial issue should be addressed.

Chaired by Ed Miliband, MP for Doncaster North and Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the report was published in December 2020.

Below are some of the pledges made by the council:

• Borough-wide to reduce carbon emissions by 85% by 2030 and achieve net zero carbon by 2040
• To plant one million trees across Doncaster
• To allocate £5m for the initiation of environment and sustainability activities
• To examine all viable options as part of our ambition to replace the diesel and petrol transport fleet with zero emissions alternatives
• To develop a habitat bank for developers to deliver on their biodiversity net gain obligations
• To pilot a naturalisation approach to the management of greenspaces
• Restructure appropriate resources and invest in the creation of a DMBC Sustainability Unit, with a purpose of co-ordinating and driving activities to support carbon reduction and nature recovery

Ros Jones, Mayor of Doncaster, said: “We have witnessed the devastation climate change is having on our planet first-hand. The floods of November 2019 and February 2020 which wreaked havoc on many of our communities and the wildfires on Hatfield Moors peatlands which damaged so much precious natural habitat, showed action was needed. This is a top priority for now and the future.

“As a council we are fully committed to doing all we can and have made great strides in the last two years. Planting new trees, creating green gateways, investing in 100% electric fleet vehicles, creating more electric vehicle charging points, making homes more energy efficient, installing solar panels on buildings and properties, promoting active travel to encourage more people out of their car and naturalising green spaces to promote biodiversity and wildlife. There’s a huge list of works we have done and plenty more in the pipeline.

“While we can do lots to tackle the problem – and we are doing just that – we all need to play our part to overcome this global environmental crisis. Small changes can make a big difference from reducing our energy consumption, using more active travel and public transport, as well as reducing levels of waste by recycling and re-using wherever possible.

“We must do this, to ensure that we leave a safe and habitable planet for generations to come. As part of our Doncaster Delivering Together 10-year strategy, our focus is on People, Place and Planet.”

More information about climate change and the work the council and its partners are doing can be found at: www.doncaster.gov.uk/climatechange

 

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