Action on Climate in Teignbridge

Category: News

General News items

Climate Emergency Question Time
Local candidates answer your questions
Thursday 5th December 7-9pm at Coombeshead College’s Bushell Theatre.
With mulled wine and minced pies.
Deciding how to vote has never been so difficult, and climate change and the environment aren’t getting as much cover as they deserve. So, ACTion on Climate in Teignbridge has invited all of the candidates standing for the Central Devon and Newton Abbot constituencies to our Climate Emergency Question Time.
When you book your place, you will have the opportunity to submit a question on how they would fight climate change and help our ecosystems recover. We will choose a representative selection which our Chair will ask every candidate. If any candidates can’t attend, we will ask them to send someone to represent their views – not simply their Party manifesto’s.
We will also be celebrating ACT‘s first 5 months, in which we have been supporting the District of Teignbridge on its journey to becoming carbon neutral. After Question Time there will be mulled wine, mulled apple juice and mince pies – a good time to socialise and share views on the best ways to reach our ambitious goal! We now have around 200 members from all over the District, of which 50 are very active – but there is always room for more. We’d would love to see you there and hear your views! Please share this with any other Teignbridge Environment Groups.
Directions and parking.
Questions submitted in the forum The deadline for submission of questions is mid day on 3rd December.
Please bring your own mug – no glasses for safety reasons.
Sorry this event is now full.
Read the Candidate’s statements
Most candidates for the Central Devon and Newton Abbot constituencies took part, and all candidates were invited. Conservative candidates (Mel Stride and Anne Marie Morris) and David Halpin (Independent) did not take part.
Anne Marie Morris sent a statement to be read out.
Liberal Democrat candidates (Martin Wrigley and Alison Eden) sent a joint statement
Green Party candidates (Megan Debenham and Andy Williamson) sent a joint statement.
Labour candidates sent individual statements – Lisa Robillard Webb and James Osben
David Halpin sent a statement
14/11/2019
TDC formally accept our support proposal
ACT has met Jackie Hook, TDC climate emergency portfolio holder and David Eaton, climate emergency lead officer, on several occasions, to discuss a joint approach for delivering on the TDC declaration. We have also gathered over 150 proposals for possible action from members of the community, which has been passed to the council.
The coordination group is confident that ACT can help both TDC and everyone in Teignbridge achieve the goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2025. This proposal describes ACT’s vision, mission and objectives, and proposes a partnership with the council. Finally, it provides an provisional timeline for getting the relationship established.
TDC formally accepted our role in supporting them in at their full council meeting on 24th Sept 2019.
Our full proposal can be read here.
25/09/2019
September 2019 Newsletter
Welcome to the first of what will become a quarterly newsletter.

Firstly, and somewhat belatedly a massive THANK YOU to all who attended our Climate Summit meeting. Especially for all the great suggestions you’ve given us, we’ve already used those in our work discussions the district council.

So, what’s been happening since the Climate Summit meeting on 4^th July 2019?

We’ve been busy setting up structures and starting lots of initiatives. We’ve managed a lot, but now need more people to get actively involved and help us deliver some of the things you’ve told us are important.
The Coordination group have held regular meetings. As a result, we have agreed to call our group – Action on Climate in Teignbridge (ACT for short). We have formulated our group’s aims, working structure and responsibilities in our Terms of Reference document. ACT’s mission is to assist, encourage and help Teignbridge District Council and town and parish councils, community groups and residents in the district to act together to realise the Carbon Zero target of 2025.
ACT’s Coordination group are positioning themselves to become the main point of contact between all other like minded groups, Town and Parish councils and individuals across Teignbridge. Offering help and guidance and sharing best work practices.
We have also formed the following specialist working groups: Built Environment, Transport, Food-Farming-Forestry, Ecology, Fundraising, Procurement and PR. Meetings of the Built Environment, the three F’s and Ecology have already taken place. Meetings of both Transport and PR are planned.
Please contact me to find out more about what help we need.
ACT’s proposal to Teignbridge District Council, will be considered and voted on Tuesday the 24^th September. You can read this and the council’s proposed plans under item 9 of the agenda for the full council meeting.
Our main activities over the next month or so will be; updating our web site, contacting groups and all Parish and Town councils across Teignbridge to become part of this community initiative.
We will also continue working on our legal structure and plan to hold an inaugural AGM in November. This will include the election of officers.
Reading this through prior to sending it out, it does seem slightly boring and matter of fact, but the people involved with these groups are quite inspiring, fun and very passionate. Although some might comment “I do need to get out more”
If you have any questions, ideas or would like to help please contact me.

19/09/2019
Teignbridge declares a climate emergency
April 2019
The following Notice of Motion was submitted by Councillor J Hook and supported by Councillors Connett, Dewhirst, Hayes, G Hook, Nutley, Parker and Wrigley.
Background
Council Notes:
1. Humans have already caused irreversible climate change, the impacts of which are being felt around the world. Global temperatures have already increased by 1 degree Celsius from pre-industrial levels.
2. In order to reduce the chance of runaway Global Warming and limit the effects of Climate Breakdown, it is imperative that we as a species reduce our CO2eq (carbon equivalent) emissions from their current 6.5 tonnes per person per year to less than 2 tonnes as soon as possible.
3. Individuals cannot be expected to make this reduction on their own. Society needs to change its laws, taxation, infrastructure, etc., to make low carbon living easier and the new norm;
4. Carbon emissions result from both production and consumption;
5. Our current plans and actions are not enough. The world is on track to overshoot the Paris Agreement’s 1.5 degrees Celsius limit before 2050.
6. The IPCC’s Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius, published in October 2018, describes the enormous harm that a 2 degrees Celsius rise is likely to cause compared to a 1.5 degrees Celsius, and told us that limiting Global Warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius may still be possible with ambitious action from national and sub-national authorities, civil society, the private sector, indigenous peoples and local communities.
7. Local Councils around the world are responding by declaring a ‘Climate Emergency’ and committing resources to address this emergency.
Council believes that:
1. All governments (national, regional and local) have a duty to limit the negative impacts of Climate Breakdown, and local governments that recognize this should not wait for their national governments to change their policies. It is important for Teignbridge Council and other Councils to commit to carbon neutrality as quickly as possible.
2. Towns, Cities and Local Authorities at all tiers are uniquely placed to lead the world in reducing carbon emissions; they are well placed to help decarbonize villages and more remote areas as they have closer links with their residents.
3. Bold climate action can deliver economic benefits in terms of new jobs, economic savings and market opportunities, as well as improved personal, social and environmental well-being for people, locally and worldwide.
Motion:
Teignbridge District Council will,
1. Declare a ‘climate emergency’
2. Pledge to do what is within our powers, to make Teignbridge District carbon neutral by 2030, taking into account both production and consumption emissions.
3. Call on Westminster to provide the powers and resources necessary for Teignbridge District to achieve the target of becoming carbon neutral by 2030, and to implement best practice methods to limit global warming to 1.5C.
4. Report to Full Council within six months with an Action Plan, outlining how the Council will address this emergency. The Action Plan will detail the leadership role Teignbridge District will take in promoting community, public, business and other Council partnerships to achieve this Carbon Neutral 2030 Commitment throughout the District. The Action Plan will also outline adequate staff time and resources to undertake the actions to achieve the target.
5. To investigate all possible sources of external funding and match funding to support this commitment
02/08/2019
August 2019 Newletter
This email is to update you on what has been happening since the meeting on 4th July. We’ve been busy organising the next stage of Teignbridge Climate Emergency Action Group’s (TCEAG’s) work, and collating all the suggestions made at the meeting.

One of the first tasks is to set up a Steering Group to take over from the four of us. We have contacted everyone who expressed interest in being part of this subgroup, and invited them to its first meeting this Friday. The meeting will discuss what the steering group’s role should be, and, in particular, the best way to support existing and new initiatives around Teignbridge which help deliver the Council’s zero carbon target. The group will share the results of its meeting with everyone.

The steering group might well decide there should be sub-groups, for Food, Farming, Transport and other themes. If so, and you have expressed interest in one of the themes, you should receive an email next week about joining that subgroup.

For those who can’t wait or are not too keen on meetings, our facebook group is a good place to find out about some existing local initiatives, and have conversations to start new ones. There are many local initiatives you can be involved with. So why not have a conversation and exchange some ideas there.

The other thing worth mentioning is that momentum to take action is growing across the district. More and more parish councils are declaring climate emergencies, and Dartmoor National Park Authority has just done so (also with at 2025 target date). We are moving as quickly as we can so that TCEAG can respond to these developments, but, of course, please do contact and work with your local council direct. Many of them will be unsure what action to take to deliver on their declarations.

Finally, we want to make you aware that we have set up a mailing list with your name, email, location and areas of interest on MailChimp. You can change your details (or remove them completely) using the links below. We will, of course, keep your personal details private, and only use these to contact you about the Teignbridge Climate Emergency Action Group’s work.

Looking forward to working with you all
Penny, Andrew, Audrey & Fuad
01/08/2019