Windsor & Maidenhead Conservatives Vote Down Climate Motion

In a stunning betrayal of both the nation's and the Borough's future, Conservative Councillors at the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead voted down a Lib Dem led, cross party motion, proposed by Windsor's Cllr Karen Davies and seconded by Cookham's Cllr Mandy Brar, calling on the council to endorse proposals to enshrine the Paris Climate Agreement and its associated targets into UK law at full council on 20th July 2021.

The motion called on the council to publicly endorse the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill being presented to Parliament by writing to the Borough's two MPs asking them to support the deal. Putting party first, Conservatives in the council voted down the motion, opposing this measure to deliver the promises they have already made.

"The climate emergency directly affects the UK: rising sea levels, increasing coastal erosion, and increasing incidence of flooding, including in Datchet, Horton & Wraysbury in the Royal Borough, all point to the impact of climate change.

It seems Conservative complacancy stands in the way of both adapting to meet climate change, by introducing measures like the Datchet, Horton, Wraysbury & Old Windsor flood relief channel, and acting to preventing things getting even worse by cutting carbon emissions." says Lib Dem Cllr Karen Davies.

The Bill also seeks to address the decline in UK biodiversity. The UK is also one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world - more than one in seven of our plants and animals face extinction and more than 40% are in decline. We have lost 95% of our much-loved hedgehogs. The bill seeks to set a legally-enforceable nature target so that by 2030 nature is visibly and measurably on the path to recovery, in line with the Global Goal for Nature and the Leaders' Pledge for Nature.

"The Climate & Ecological Emergency Bills asks the government to tackle the ecological emergency is tackled in parallel with the climate crisis, in oreder to ensure a truely effective joined up approach. It was extremely disappointing to see the Conservative Councillors vote on block to reject taking action on the climate ecological emergency, particularly those councillors representing Datchet, Horton & Wraysbury whose residents are right in the frontline of climate change." says Karen.

The Climate Motion was as proposed as below and was supported by all councillors except the Conservatives.

The Climate Change Motion

Both Parliament and this Council have declared an Environmental and Climate Emergency. There is currently a Bill before Parliament, which, if enacted, would require the government to develop a strategy to address the emergency; enshrine the Paris Agreement and Leaders' Pledge for Nature into law; and ensure the UK takes full responsibility for our entire greenhouse gas and ecological footprints.

This Council:

1. Declares its support for the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill (published as the "Climate and Ecology (No. 2) Bill");
2. Requests that the Leader of the Council writes an open letter to the Members of Parliament for Maidenhead and Windsor (shared with our residents through local and social media) urging them to sign up to support the Bill; and
3. Further requests that the Leader of the Council writes to the CEE Bill Alliance, the organisers of the campaign for the Bill, expressing the Council's support.

Sources / Further Reading:

• Council minutes for the meeting 20th July 2021