Exeter Green Party has said the ‘groundbreaking’ Paris Agreement on tackling climate change means Exeter City Council will need to be far more ambitious on reducing carbon emissions and aim to become a zero carbon city by 2050. Almost 200 countries agreed on Saturday to pursue efforts to limit global temperature rise to 1.5C and review progress every five years.
Molly Scott Cato, the South West’s Green MEP, said that the Paris Agreement meant that ‘the global economy has moved away from the fossil fuel era and onto a path towards a clean energy future.’
Kay Powell, Vice President of Exeter University Greens, said the Paris Agreement provided greater hope for future generations, but said that actions at a local level must now reflect the ambition of world leaders.
She said: “The world has united in a groundbreaking agreement which aims to keep our climate stable for future generations. We now need to see policies at a national and local level to realise the ambition shown in Paris.
Exeter must play its full part in helping to make the necessary transition to the zero carbon future.”
Local Green have described the pledge by Exeter City Council to run entirely on green energy by 2050 as ‘greenwash’, saying that it is not just council buildings and services that need to be powered by 100% green energy. The Party are calling for a zero carbon city by 2050 and a complete phasing out of fossil fuels. Chair of Exeter Green Party, Mark Shorto, said:
“Making the necessary transformation a reality will require widespread changes to the way we live and work. The dash for unsustainable development across our city and consumer-led economic growth is taking us in the wrong direction. We need to cultivate a resilient localised economy, local food supply and invest in energy reduction through insulation schemes for those most in need. Not only will this help us transition towards a zero carbon economy, it will also support local jobs, reduce levels of fuel poverty and help address the city’s rising inequality.”