A message from Climate Emergency Camden
Camden Council’s proposed Climate Action Plan for Camden responds to the views expressed by the Citizens’ Assembly and the wider community by proposing a set of four vision statements which will frame and guide activities as we move towards a 2030 zero-carbon Camden:
https://consultations.wearecamden.org/supporting-communities/camden-climate-action-plan/consultation/subpage.2019-12-12.0024260525/
At Climate Emergency Camden we have read the consultation and although it covers a lot of good points and actions, we think there is more they could be doing. In this email we have broken down the sections the consultation follows and provided some ideas for responses. We recommend stating that you agree or strongly agree with the ideas that they already have. Please feel free to add your own and edit the responses we have put together - these are a guideline and some basic responses which we feel will drive the Council to be more ambitious and accelerate change in the borough.
Please note: the deadline for the consultation is 29th February (this Saturday).
Vision
- Define zero-carbon more clearly.
- This consultation is taking place almost a year after the council declared a climate emergency, immediate actions need to happen now - we cannot wait another year. Accelerate and become more ambitious.
- The council must work with other like-minded councils and challenge the current government to act.
Structure
People
- Public Information campaign - not just consumption but wider information on the climate crisis. These should be in different languages so are available to all of the community.
- There is no information or actions which focus on Climate Justice, active twinning with areas currently affected by climate change would be a way to bring this to the forefront of people’s thoughts.
Places
- There must be extra protection for mature trees. Any trees planted must be listed against trees that are felled to give accurate reporting - e.g. Of the 400 trees planted a year, 350 are replacement only 50 are new.
- The council should work with charities like Trees for Cities and find other means of funding to plant more trees in Camden or other countries.
- More public litter bins & recycling bins.
- The Council should take a lead on longer-term/ permanent road closures, work with TFL to improve the walking & cycling routes on the local roads.
Buildings
- The Council will prioritise refurbishment over demolition.
- ALL new developments in Camden to be zero carbon, not just major ones.
- ALL new developments in Camden to have standardised recycling and food waste recycling systems.
- Camden Council will provide funding/ subsidies for retrofitting.
Organisations
- All restaurants, cafes and food vendors, including supermarkets, must recycle food waste by 2021, proof must be shown or fine to be incurred, businesses should be incentivized to donate surplus food to charities when possible. If this is not possible food must be recycled including packaged food which should be separated from its packaging.
- Create a new sustainable procurement policy and procedure for all council purchases, not just those over £100,000 use The Preston Model - community wealth building through local collaboration and sourcing.
- Commit to divesting NOW from the top 200 fossil fuel companies by 2021. The council must divest its pension fund from fossil fuel companies, not only is it a risky investment it is devastating the planet - the council will not be seen as taking the climate emergency seriously until this happens.
- The amendment in the Camden Council Constitution should be directly linked to the impact in the Climate Emergency and reducing CO2 - not just improving or protecting the natural environment.
Thank you so much for taking the time to fill in the consultation!
Climate Emergency Camden
https://climateemergencycamden.org/
Follow on Twitter @CECamden
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