Newport City Council declares climate emergency

Newport City Council declared the climate emergency at its full council meeting on Tuesday.

The council has become the final Gwent authority to make the announcement, after the motion was unanimously approved.

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The motion commits the council to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2030, and developing a clear climate change plan for the next five years that will set out what actions are needed to achieve net zero.

The council will also develop a city-wide local area energy plan, and review council services to ensure they will also meet the council’s environmental targets.

Council leader Cllr Jane Mudd, who proposed the motion, said: “There is an urgent need for us all to come together to limit global temperature rises and build a sustainable world for future generations.

“We have made good progress on lowering our carbon emissions over the last few years, and we will continue that work to ensure we reach our net zero target by 2030.

“By declaring this emergency, we recognise the severity of the issue as well as the need for us to do everything we can to tackle it.”

The council has asked residents for their views on its draft climate change plan, which sets out how the council will achieve net zero emissions by 2030.

The draft plan and consultation are available to view on the council’s website.