Climate crisis: Argyll and Bute Council urged to do more to tackle emergency

A motion was passed at a meeting of the full council last month renewing the authority’s commitment to prioritising the climate situation in its policy decision making, and declaring a ‘climate emergency’ in line with more than half of Scotland’s local authorities.

At a community council meeting last week, Heather Munro, from the Cardross Climate Action Network (Cardross CAN) welcomed the move, which was confirmed on September 30 following two separate motions proposed by councillors.

However, she said elected representatives had chosen “the weaker of the two” options, leaving her with “cause for significant concern” over potential next steps.

She said: “Only time will tell whether this is just empty words. I would like to urge councillors to get as much training as they can on this issue, to read about it and understand what the council could be doing but are not doing at the moment.

“[The motion passed] goes so far but there are always further steps that they need to be taking that other councils in Scotland are taking.

READ MORE: Campaigners urge council to show that climate em ergency declaration is more than 'just empty words'

“There’s a long way to go.”

Helensburgh and Lomond South councillor, Richard Trail, refuted the suggestion that council leader Robin Currie’s motion was a “diluted” version of the one proposed by Councillor Douglas Philand and supported by Cardross CAN as well as Time for Change Argyll and Bute.

Cllr Trail replied: “I don’t think I would describe the motion that was passed as the stronger of the two.

Cllr Richard Trail

“It was describing what the council has done in the form of addressing the climate issue locally, and what it is continuing to do. That was the one that was passed and that’s the one I supported.

“It was recognising the climate emergency, absolutely.”

Further concerns were then raised by Ms Munro, who said: “What the council is already doing is great but it’s only the first step.

READ MORE: Opinion - 'Litter strewn streets are in no state to welcome world leaders for COP26'

“They produced a decarbonisation plan a year ago, which was written by a Cardross resident and is superb, but it is only about the council’s own estate, it’s only about the council’s buildings and the council’s vehicles and so on.

“When it was presented a year ago it was made very clear that this was just the first step and it is just a small step. Year on year the council needs to increase their ambition to change so many things if we’re going to have a chance of meeting our Paris agreement.

“There’s so much that needs to be done and that’s what I think the council is not yet recognising.”

Cllr Trail responded: “I wouldn’t agree that we’re not ambitious enough.

“The council is being as ambitious as it can be, to be honest.

“We are not going to make a significant difference to the overall climate emergency but we are doing our bit as best we can.”