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Question:
Last year the Council supported the Climate Emergency and Local Electricity Bill focusing on getting the authority to Net Zero by 2030. It was seen as a pivotal moment in the crisis situation we all face and good for future generations.
Last month the Tory/Independent group disagreed with the Liberal Democrat Motion to support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill making its passage through Parliament right now. The reasons were based mainly on the fact that farmers are protecting the landscape and the Council didn’t have to do anything. They also suggested that it was being driven by groups that have no democratic mandate which is absurd as the Parliamentary process is very clear and the Liberal Democrats are an elected group of councillors with wider community support as was demonstrated by letters of support from individuals and Radnorshire Wildlife Trust.
This weekend the UN Environmental Programmes released a report ahead of the international conference starting tomorrow in China. The report exposes the massive biodiversity crisis right here in the UK which is at the bottom of the pile and losing biodiversity at an alarming rate, in fact one of the worst performing nations in the world for protecting biodiversity. On the World Service this morning the report highlighted the main reasons for this loss, over development and intensive agriculture.
Would the portfolio holder like to share with residents and stakeholders of Powys how the Council will now move forward on taking a stand against a massive crisis heading our way with the loss of habitat, often hidden, in our uplands, rivers and valleys. We have seen how the Wye is dying, we have experienced the floods and we know peat bogs are disappearing at an alarming rate. All these habitats and many more are in our Council area.
Minutes: Response by the Portfolio Holder:
Thank you for your email regarding the Climate and Ecological Emergency. I would like to take this opportunity to demonstrate the commitment Powys County Council has made to Biodiversity and the number of initiatives we’ve already taken forward over the years. We are also committed to ensuring we sustain our Biodiversity officer past 2022, to ensure we embed the principles of biodiversity throughout all our services. As you are aware, we have a statutory duty to prepare a section 6 report and plan (please see attached) on how Powys is meeting its responsibility to seek to maintain and enhance biodiversity in the exercise of its functions.
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