In the backdrop of the COP29 Summit in Baku, it is important to reflect on our local achievements in Solihull - addressing the foremost challenges to the climate, bio-diversity, and the environment.
Solihull's Conservative-led Council has a proud record protecting and enhancing our natural environment, from maintaining clean and healthy air quality, to leaving Solihull a better place for generations to come.
Locally, we have supported residents and businesses to reduce energy bills, via the Home Upgrade Grant and the Net Zero Grant Programme. Our Planting the Future scheme, has planted 100,000 trees across Solihull since 2020, and is set to achieve its target of 250,000 trees by 2030. In education, the Council has supported the Greener Solihull Schools Awards, celebrating the outstanding commitment by local schools to sustainable and greener practices. The Solihull Schools Climate Conference, the Borough's own model COP conference, will also complement efforts for young people to engage with climate change from a local, national, to international perspective.
In this political climate, it is important to recognise that when some people hear the term ‘Net Zero’, they are so often concerned that it is all about ideologically driven laws and regulations, and headline grabbing targets. In Solihull, we demonstrate the positives of action, from providing appropriate grants, recognising that businesses need a stable economic background and policy framework, to laying the groundwork for a more sustainable and healthier environment.
In light of this, Leader of the Council, Councillor Ian Courts, welcomes the Prime Minister’s new announcement at COP29 last week, committing to cut emissions in the UK by 2035 by 81% compared to 1990 levels, without 'telling people how to live their lives'. We look forward to seeing the details of this in full.
On this front, Solihull Council currently lead the way ahead of the Government, having already set targets to achieve net-zero across its operations by 2030, and have at present reduced its emissions by 55%, in the past six years. Whilst this is significant and very laudable progress, next steps will inevitably be harder, especially at a time of national funding challenges.
Nationally, there is concern the new Starmer Government is making mistakes that will be counterproductive to protecting the environment.
The Conservative Environment Network, CEN cautions the coming cuts to the Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme, reductions to Agricultural Property Relief (APR), and the bus fare increases (raising the £2 Cap to £3) - undermining the government's commitment to affordable local public transport.
On foreign policy, CEN warns that surrendering sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius (itself, 1300 miles away) will result in the 544,000km squared Marine Protected Area in the Indian Ocean being put at risk of encroachment by China's fishing industry.
Solihull Borough Conservatives will continue to protect our climate, local bio-diversity, and environment, and are proud of its track record. We strongly urge the Labour Government to heed advice and reconsider their new policies, which will have a negative local and global impact on the environment, to all our detriment.
