Lib Dems welcome support for ecology motion

Warrington Liberal Democrats welcome the all-party support for our motion on the Climate and Ecological Emergency passed at the Council meeting on 7^th December.

The motion calls on the Council to continue the good work on combating climate change, to do more to aid the recovery of nature and natural environments and to promote biodiversity. It also calls on the town's two MPs to support the cross-party Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill in Parliament.

Proposing the motion, Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Bob Barr said:

We must do all we can to demonstrate the Council's commitment to reducing carbon emissions and improving ecology. In the past we have suffered in national league tables by the presence of Fiddlers Ferry. On the positive side, I welcome our commitment to solar power. Our residents want cleaner air, more diverse green spaces and a better managed Green Belt. There is also a great appetite amongst the people of Warrington to pick up litter, plant trees and look after allotments. This motion reaffirms our commitment to help residents help themselves by improving our green spaces and ecology.

Seconding the motion, Cllr Ian Marks added:

I am very proud that when I was Council Leader in 2007, we signed the Nottingham Declaration which was a voluntary pledge by Local Authorities to become greener and reduce the effects of climate change. Despite massive issues like COVID and Brexit, environmental issues are still very much in the news. Just this last week, we heard that snowy winters in the UK could become a thing of the past, 2020 is on track to be the second hottest year ever and a trillion-tonne iceberg is floating in the South Atlantic. The UN Secretary General has said that humanity is waging war on nature which is suicidal. Action is needed now.