Strong response to Eastleigh climate survey
Residents tell us what they're doing to combat climate emergency
Scores of Eastleigh Borough residents have responded to a survey on measures that they and the Council can take to combat climate change - following the authority’s recent declaration of a climate and environment emergency.
The emergency declaration was unanimously agreed by Councillors at the last full meeting of the Council. The first cross-party motion in some years, the declaration sets out the authority’s aim to be carbon neutral by 2025, and to support communities and businesses across the Borough to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.
The push for carbon neutrality is now the focus of a cross-party working group who will use the survey to plan future activities that will aim to reduce its own carbon emissions - and help residents and businesses do likewise.
The Council is already ahead of the government’s 2020 target on greenhouse gas emissions, is one of Hampshire’s foremost local authorities for levels of recycling (including the county’s only collection of food waste) and has a substantial renewable energy portfolio, generating around 330,000 kilowatts last year (2018-19). However, it is acknowledged that both the authority – and the Borough’s communities and employers – can be doing more to tackle the worsening climate crisis.
Councillor Rupert Kyrle, Cabinet Member for Environment on Eastleigh Borough Council, said: “The response to our survey has been really encouraging and it is clear that Eastleigh’s residents and businesses are taking the issue of climate change seriously. The survey results really will help shape our future work as we push for a carbon neutral Borough by 2030. I’d like to thank everyone who has so far responded – and to urge as many people as possible to complete it and help ensure our actions are shaped by their views.”
To complete the survey, visit www.eastleigh.gov.uk/cesurvey . The deadline to complete it is Monday 30 September.