High Peak Borough Council has approved two motions proposed by Green Party members Joanna Collins and Charlotte Farrell that will contribute to the authority meeting its target of reducing carbon emissions to net zero by 2030.
Cllr Collins’ motion was to end direct and indirect investment by the council in fossil fuel industries.
Speaking about the motion, she said: “If the council is to reach its target, we must approach the problem of emissions from fossil fuels from every angle including investments.
“This is not only an environmental concern.
“Many individuals and organisations have spoken about the financial risk in investing in fossil fuels. Financial returns are consistently higher from ethical investments than conventional ones including fossil fuels.”
Cllr Farrell proposed a motion for the council to publicly support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill, which was introduced as a Private Members bill last year, by Caroline Lucas MP and to encourage High Peak MP Robert Largan to support the bill in parliament.
A similar motion was recently passed unanimously by Derbyshire Dales District Council.
The bill sets out the specific government actions needed to confront the crises, including support for actions by local authorities.
Responding to criticism that the bill is a ‘Presentation Bill’, and will be presented, but not debated or voted on, Cllr Farrell said: “I’m disappointed that our Conservative colleagues have decided to abstain on this motion.
“Presentation bills have been used to bring in real change, The Climate Change Act 2008 started in this way.
“It’s just one of the ways our democracy works and there’s no reason to negate it.
“This motion just asks us to give our MP the clear guidance to support this bill and to say that the council supports the bill.”
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