Climate change

West Yorkshire Leaders Joint Statement on Climate Change

September 2009

This statement sets out the joint position of the Leaders of the five West Yorkshire Councils (Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield) on climate change. The statement builds on a series of three Leadership events organised by the Association of West Yorkshire Authorities (AWYA) between October-December 2008 on Climate Change. The events were attended by senior Councillors (including Portfolio Holders, Scrutiny Chairs and opposition spokespersons), council officers and partner agencies in West Yorkshire.

Councillor Kris Hopkins, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council
Councillor Stephen Baines, Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council
Councillor Mehboob Khan, Kirklees Council
Councillor Richard Brett, Leeds City Council
Councillor Peter Box, City of Wakefield Metropolitan District Council.

What are the key challenges facing West Yorkshire in relation to climate change?

Scientific evidence clearly shows that climate change is occurring as a result of human activities. Average global temperatures have increased at an unprecedented rate over the last 50 years and are predicted to rise by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius by the end of this century (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC] mid-range estimates). We need to take urgent action now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions if we are to avoid the most serious global consequences of climate change, including rising sea levels, more extreme weather events and irreversible damage to ecosystems.

West Yorkshire can play a significant role in national and global efforts to limit the extent of climate change. The sub-region is home to more than 2.1 million people and has an economy worth £37 billion annually (Gross Value Added [GVA] at current basic prices, 2006), so it is essential that we support communities, businesses and public sector organisations to change actions and behaviours which make a major contribution to climate change. Per capita carbon emissions in West Yorkshire are currently less than the national average, but dramatic reductions will still be needed to help meet proposed national targets of 34% cuts by 2020.

In addition to contributing to efforts to reduce climate change, it is vital for West Yorkshire to adapt and build resilience to its effects. In future the sub-region is likely to experience higher average temperatures and an increase in the number of extreme weather events (e.g. heat waves, droughts, periods of intense rainfall and winter gales). If we do not prepare adequately, these changes will impact significantly on the health and wellbeing of our citizens, damage our natural environment and disrupt our local infrastructure and economy. It is also clear that if we do not transform our economy and investment priorities, we will not be able to compete in the new world of challenging emissions targets and increasing customer demand for green practices.

What actions are the West Yorkshire Councils taking to address climate change?

As individual local authorities the five West Yorkshire Councils are all playing a key roles in tackling climate change. We are committed to reducing emissions from our operations and each authority is taking a range of steps to achieve this, including:

developing sustainable buildings and procurement policies;
work to increase the sustainability of schools;
investing in low-carbon energy sources;
reducing emissions from our fleet vehicles;
diverting material from landfill using innovative recycling initiatives; and
encouraging and supporting our staff to change habitual behaviour.

The West Yorkshire Councils are also committed to playing a broader community leadership roles in relation to climate change. We are developing local plans to provide strategic direction on climate change at the local level and we are all committed to achieving key performance indicators on climate change through our Local Area Agreements.

We acknowledge that commercial activity, domestic housing and transport make the greatest contribution to carbon emissions in West Yorkshire. We are working with local businesses and communities to support them to make the changes necessary to reduce emissions, and we are working with partners to increase the sustainability of transport infrastructure in West Yorkshire. For example, we are:

encouraging developers to use low-carbon energy sources;
developing sustainable procurement policies which encourage businesses to minimise their contribution to climate change;
supporting residents to improve the energy efficiency of their homes;
enabling the development of community-led climate change projects;
investing in sustainable modes of transport and demand management measures through the West Yorkshire Local Transport Plan and Leeds City Region activity; and
undertaking joint initiatives with local partners (including schools, colleges, universities, social landlords, the health service, the police and voluntary organisations).

In addition to providing strong community leadership on efforts to reduce emissions, the five West Yorkshire Councils are also taking action to adapt to changes in our climate and to build local resilience to extreme weather events. For example, we are taking a number of steps to reduce the impact of heavy rainfall on West Yorkshire, including developing flood management plans; regularly clearing watercourses and culverts in flood risk areas; and implementing sustainable drainage systems on new roads. However, as our understanding of the local impacts of climate change increases, we recognise that there is a need to focus more on measures which enable us to adapt to changing circumstances.

How can the West Yorkshire Councils work together to address climate change?

While local authorities can address many of the causes and impacts of climate change by working with their partners at the local level, the five West Yorkshire Councils recognise that there is a need to work together on a number of key issues which cut across local boundaries. Through collaboration the Councils in West Yorkshire will also deliver efficiency savings, avoid duplication and share skills, experience and good practice across the sub-region.

The West Yorkshire Councils have agreed to focus initially on work with schools in the sub-region, including measures to support teaching of climate change issues in the school curriculum and work to reduce carbon emissions from school buildings and facilities. Proposals are also being developed for collaborative activity between the five authorities on engaging businesses communities in activity to combat climate change.