Thirty year Lincolnshire council climate change target “too late”

Opposition call for more drastic action by 2030 to cut carbon emissions

Lincolnshire County Council has been criticised for going too slowly in their plans to fight climate change.

Recently, the council voted in favour of low carbon policies in a “green masterplan” to reach its 2050 net zero emissions target, but opposition councillors say this will be too late.

The council’s green master plan includes better cycle routes, LED streetlights and solar energy. Photo: Aaron Mayhew

Councillor Robin Renshaw, Labour, said: “An unimaginative target of 2050 is not in tune with the community and is taking the slow train.

“In the green master plan there’s no justification for the target.”

Labour’s Councillor Robin Renshaw said the council was “taking the slow train” with a 2050 net-zero target. Photo: Aaron Mayhew

The county council’s green master plan was approved on February 19 after being proposed by Councillor Colin Davie, Conservative executive member for economy and plan.

The master plan included policies such as LED streetlights, reducing waste, and solar energy.

Councillor Davie rejected criticisms of the 2050 target, claiming that the opposition’s 2030 goal was “unachievable”.

Councillor Davie said: “I don’t see their target as at all achievable or realistic.

“2050 is achievable and if it can be done by 2045 then that’s fantastic, but making a decision today that’s not properly thought through imposes a huge cost on the taxpayer.”

Councils across the country have set emissions targets after parliament passed legislation in June 2019 requiring the UK to reduce to net-zero carbon by 2050.

In order to limit global warming to the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C rise, scientists say global carbon emissions will have to reach net zero by the middle of the 21st century.

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