Decision details

Agreed

RECOMMENDED that:-

(1)  Executive recommends, that Council declare a ‘Climate Emergency’;

(2)  Executive are minded to recommend the following to the Council on 23 July, subject to detailed consideration by a special meeting of Place Scrutiny, scheduled for 18 June 2019, with the results of that consideration being reported back to Executive on 9 July 2019;

(3)  The carbon neutral target for Exeter is framed in a way that links to wider regional targets. This shows Exeter’s intention to decrease its emissions without increasing emissions in the wider region;

(4)   Exeter City Council commit to their operations becoming carbon neutral ahead of the 2030 date and mobilise resource to develop internal plans to deliver the target.

(5)   Exeter City Council request a “Carbon Neutral Delivery Team” is convened by ECF CIC to establish a city plan for delivery that builds on the Energy Independence Roadmap produced by ECF CIC and uses the 12 Goals as the basis of the approach (see Appendix 1 to this report for a list of the Goals). The Zero Carbon delivery team will:

o   Draw together existing evidence and data to establish baseline state of the City presented under each of the 12 Goals.

o   Conduct a full audit of the City to highlight gaps between current plans and what is required to achieve zero carbon

o   Define a clear city plan showing outcomes that will need to be met to deliver zero-carbon, how existing activities support and where there are gaps.

o   Identify immediate opportunities and crucial first steps

(6)  Exeter City Council commit resource to be part of the Zero Carbon Delivery Team and, due to the urgency required, co-locate those resources with ECF CIC to ensure that the City Council is leading by example and sharing learning with other ECF CIC Member organisations and the wider ECF CIC Partner Network. (A list of current members of the ECF CIC Partner Network is provided in Appendix 2 to this report);

(7)  Exeter City Futures CIC be requested to convene “Carbon Neutral Mandate Group” through a series of summits to validate, challenge and endorse the Roadmap produced by the Zero Carbon working group.

(8)  That Exeter City Council support the work of the Devon Climate Emergency Response Group (CERG) and note the outcomes and recommendations including a "Peoples Assembly." The attached paper should be considered by the Place Scrutiny Meeting at their meeting to be held on 18th June 2019.

Reason for Decision:

As set out in the report.