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Town Council to support Ilkley Climate Action Group

 

Ilkley Town Council pledged this week to support Climate Action Ilkley, a newly formed community campaign group that wants to promote local action to address climate change

 

The Town Council voted last night to pass all three resolutions submitted by Climate Action Ilkley .

 

Several supporters of Climate Action Ilkley spoke at the Council meeting in support of the proposals, particularly emphasising the need to take urgent action now to safeguard future generations.

 

The support of councillors Mark Stidworthy and Sandy Macpherson ensured the resolutions were put to a vote.

 

By passing these resolutions Ilkley Town Council recognises the reality of climate change and the urgent challenge it presents to us all. The Council will support Climate Action Ilkley to develop local initiatives to tackle climate change, and Mark Stidworthy agreed to act as the liaison councillor to progress these developments.

 

After the meeting Councillor Mark Stidworthy said: "By pledging its support for Climate Action Ilkley, the Town Council has recognised the reality of climate change and that opportunities for positive action within the town should be driven by the local community. I look forward to Ilkley Town Council and residents working alongside one another to reduce the town's carbon footprint, enhancing and sustaining the quality of life for current and future residents."

 

Climate Action Ilkley believes that climate change is the most important issue of our time and it is imperative that we take action at all levels to avert the dangers posed by climate change.

 

It is now widely accepted that the Earth’s climate is being radically modified by human activity. Atmospheric carbon dioxide is rising at an unprecedented rate. Global warming, amplified by polar ice melt, methane release from permafrost and extensive fires may become irreversible with catastrophic consequences for human life on earth.

 

The UN climate agreement in Paris in December 2015 marked a major step

forward as global leaders recognised that rapid reductions in carbon emissions are needed to keep global temperature rises below the crucial 1.5 to 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels. Current assessments indicate that it is unlikely that the 1.5 degree target will be met and it is increasingly uncertain that the 2 degree target will be achievable unless greatly increased efforts are made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Despite the urgency and gravity of this situation there is an unwillingness to acknowledge that action needs to be taken at scale, by everyone. The passing of these three resolutions marks an important step in beginning to tackle climate change together.

 

Kath Steward, a founding member of Climate Action Ilkley, says:

“we need to realise that this is up to all of us, we all need to step up to this challenge and take action now.  We can start with small individual acts to reduce our carbon footprint but we need to work together to support each other to take bolder initiatives to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.

 

These are worrying times but they are also exciting because of the possibilities for change. We are looking forward to working with the Town Council to produce an action plan with the whole community that will make a real difference.”

 

The group would like to invite anyone who lives in Ilkley and  is interested in taking action to become involved in the group. You can contact us by email on climateactionilkley@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter @ClimateIlkley

 

We are campaigning on The Grove, near the Bandstand on Saturday 30th June 11am-1pm.