Councillors have formally recognised a climate crisis and ecological emergency in Huntingdonshire and have acted by voting to adopt a proposed climate strategy.

Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) adopted the climate strategy in response to recognising the climate crisis after a successful vote, with two abstentions, at a full council meeting on February 22.

One councillor commented that it was "time to take action before it's too late."

The strategy includes a plan for council operations to reach net carbon zero by 2040 and makes clear the council's ambition to enable and encourage residents, businesses, and other authorities to take climate action.

Executive councillor for climate and environment, Cllr Lara Davenport-Ray, said: "The Joint Administration is determined to create a better Huntingdonshire for current residents and future generations.

"In October 2022, this council passed a motion highlighting the joint challenges of climate change and the cost-of-living crisis. This February, our council took several steps forward in tackling these issues."

Cllr Davenport-Ray said the district council could achieve its aims in three ways, by setting a positive example, helping other people and organisations make changes, and encouraging and promoting actions that will help reduce carbon emissions.

READ MORE: Vote to take place on climate strategy aiming to protect Huntingdonshire's future

"Huntingdonshire is ready to take climate action, leadership is all that is needed. This council should be that leader," she added.

What did other councillors think?

Cllr Sally Ann Howell said she supported the plan saying it was "time to take action before it is too late", and said the strategy was a "road map for a sustainable future".

Cllr Stephen Cawley said he believed the plan was a "great start" but said more needed to be added to the strategy.

Leader of the opposition, Cllr Jonathan Gray, said if the situation was an emergency then the authority needed to "move fast", adding that there were some "quick wins" that he said could be done.

He said he was "supportive" of the plan, adding that he would "encourage" the authority "to get on with it".

What next?

The strategy explains how the district council will act as a positive example by reducing the consumption of energy and fossil fuels. The council aims to achieve this in part by:

  • Improving the energy efficiency of council buildings.
  • Taking opportunities to install renewable energy.
  • Reducing council vehicle emissions.

The strategy sets dates for when specific actions should be taken or completed.

These include, in 2024, beginning to switch from using diesel fuel in large council vehicles to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO).

Cllr Davenport-Ray added that they want to bring climate action to the forefront of people's minds and that listening to the public is a priority of the joint administration.

"To bring all of this work together, we have committed to an annual Climate Conversation," she added.

"Each year, we will review our work and ask local people to help design our future climate action."

To view the climate strategy, visit www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/environmental-issues/climate-strategy/.

Additional reporting was provided by Hannah Brown, Local Democracy Reporting Service.