Time to Act as Sussex Leads the way on Climate pledges

West Sussex County Council Climate Pledge

The Countryside Charity, CPRE Sussex is calling for people to respond to an opportunity to help their local Councils work out how to deal with the Climate Emergency.

Sussex councils are leading the way on Climate pledges in the South East according to information compiled by the South East Climate Alliance (SECA).

More councils have declared a ‘Climate Emergency’ in Sussex than in any other county in the Region. Twelve of the sixteen Local Authorities in East and West Sussex have already acted to declared an emergency or have passed a motion to do so, learn more here.

The first Sussex councils to make the move were Hastings and Brighton and Hove last year, and the latest is Wealden Council which declared a Climate Emergency this week (July 26) and has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2050 (http://www.cpresussex.org.uk/news/news-from-sussex-districts/wealden/item/3032-wealden-council-declares-a-climate-emergency)

“Sussex councils should be proud to be leading the way on climate pledges,” says new CPRE Sussex Chair, Prof Dan Osborn.

Adur River from the Downs

“We must all act now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We need to find ways to adapt to the inevitable heat waves, rising sea-levels, and much more variable rainfall that will lead to flooding at one time and drought at another. Climate change affects all our lives. It can be tackled if we work together”.

“Councils across the South East have responded to public pressure and made remarkable progress in the space of six months,” says SECA coordinator, Sally Barnard.

“Now we need the new Government to support our councils with the same fervour that they are approaching Brexit. Councils need new resources and legal frameworks to achieve the massive mobilisation that is needed to tackle climate change”.

CPRE Sussex is working with Shoreham Wordfest and Ropetackle Arts Centre on a Climate Change Summit on 5th October. It is hoped representatives from Sussex Councils will be there as well as members of the public and local businesses (http://www.shorehamwordfest.com).

West Sussex County Council are asking that members of the public take a Climate Pledge, learn more here.

 

NOTES FOR EDITORS

For more information please contact:

Prof Dan Osborn: 0773 4331640 or 01444 254156

Email:

Sally Barnard : 0793 2774184

Email:

 

You can download the Sussex Green Living printable ‘Pledges to the Planet’ checklist here. 

 

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Concluding with one of these:

Sussex people inspiring a climate for change