Climate Change

Léonie Cooper AM proposed, and Anne Clarke AM seconded, the following altered motion:

“This Assembly notes with great concern the report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) about humanity’s impact on the climate. This Assembly notes, in particular, the IPCC’s warning that emissions of warming gases could see temperature limits broken in just over a decade and that sea levels could rise by almost 2 metres by the end of the century. This Assembly also welcomes the IPCC’s statement that if urgent action is taken to significantly cut emissions now, we can avoid deepening the climate emergency.

With cities having a leading role to play in the global fight against climate change, this Assembly welcomes the Mayor’s bold target to reach net-zero by 2030, but notes that we do not yet have the resources to make plans to achieve this.

This Assembly also welcomes the upcoming extension of the Ultra-Low Emissions Zone to the North and South Circulars, which will be crucial in creating a healthier, more liveable and more equal city.

However, this Assembly also notes that cities cannot go it alone and that Government investment in cleaning up our air and helping London reach its net zero targets has never been more vital.

With COP26 approaching, this Assembly agrees to lobby the Government to empower cities to play a strong role in the race to avoid a global catastrophe by:

• Introducing a new Clean Air Act without delay;
• Extending the Clean Air Fund which funds vehicle scrappage schemes to London, supporting the Mayor’s existing schemes, to help more Londoners and businesses switch to greener vehicles;
• Revising imposed cuts to Transport for London (TfL) finances, and provide them with a long-term capital funding deal, allowing TfL to invest in electric buses and decarbonisation, and encourage greater public transport use;
• Review all current programmes for road building in England against their cumulative climate impact;
• Investing in new energy efficient homes and retrofitting older homes; and
• Investing in the Mayor’s green new deal in order to deliver more green jobs for the next generation.

This Assembly recognises the urgency with which the climate emergency must be tackled and calls upon the Chair of the London Assembly to write to the Government’s COP26 President, Alok Sharma MP to reiterate these calls and communicate Londoners’ expectations that the Government acts immediately to implement each of these crucial objectives.”

Following debate and upon being put to the vote, the motion as altered, was agreed, with 15 votes being cast in favour and 8 votes being cast against.