MOTION - Enabling a one planet economy in Hounslow

Hounslow Full Council - 27 June 2006

Proposed by: Councillor Dakers

Seconded by: Councillor Howliston

This council sets out with the objective of becoming a beacon council for excellence in sustainable development in the next six years.

This council recommits itself to achieving sustainable development as defined in 'Hounslow's Environmental Challenge' (1996):

- "Development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." (Brundtland Commission)

- "Improving the quality of life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting ecosystems." (UNEP)

The council notes that:

- Despite our efforts to date to combat climate change, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are still increasing

o CO2 emissions in the UK increased by 0.5 % last year. Overall CO2 emissions have increased 2.9% in the past eight years.

o Hounslow Borough ranks as the 7th highest of 33 London boroughs for its CO2 emissions. Emissions total 10.2 Kilotons per thousand people/annum. Domestic emissions of 2.5 Kilotons per thousand people/annum rank Hounslow 20th out of 33 boroughs.

- Hounslow's overall ecological footprint is also unsustainable. (Ecological footprinting measures our use of resources such as food, fuel, energy, metals, wood etc. and the waste these produce: carbon dioxide, other gases, waste water, rubbish etc.)

o The current average footprint of Hounslow residents is 5.32 gha/person, which would require three planet earths to sustain. The recommended sustainable footprint is 1.8gha/person.

o Our current high consumption lifestyles are therefore clearly not sustainable and we must work hard and fast to change that.

o Hounslow's Ecological Footprint report (SEI 2006) shows that priority areas for action are energy, food and transport.

Therefore this council will:

1. Identify best practice within Hounslow, from around the UK and overseas and put in place (a) a climate change strategy by the end of 2006 and (b) a broader environmental sustainability strategy, action plan and targets by the end of 2008 covering the priority areas of:

o Energy

o Planning and construction

o Food

o Transport

o Water

o Waste

o Biodiversity

2. Include four cross-cutting themes in the environmental sustainability strategy and action plan:

2.1. Communication, education & training and community action for sustainable development

2.2. Procurement

2.3. Role of different council structures

2.4. Indicators for monitoring progress

3. Ensure the environmental sustainability strategy and action plan:

o Reflects the principles and priorities in the 2005 UK Sustainable Development strategy.

o Has a clear 20 year road map to establish a one planet economy in Hounslow with year on year targets. Implemented, the plan will enable people to lead happy, healthy lives within their fair share of the Earth's resources.

o Considers both the work that the Council must undertake as a corporate body to reduce its ecological footprint and ensure it is a credible leader of change in the wider community, as well as the wider community goals that the Council must help enable.

o Is relatively short, in plain English and emphasises the practical actions that will be taken.

4. Integrate environmental sustainability into all the Council's strategy and planning processes

5. Reach out to partners in Hounslow's Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) and work with them to tackle this enormous development challenge.

o The first phase of the action plan will form a part of the next revision to Hounslow's Community Plan and Local Area Agreement (LAA).

6. Establish an "Environment and organisational responsibility partnership" linked to the LSP that will drive action for environmental sustainability across Hounslow.

7. Develop the role of Local Area Committees in advocating and supporting environmental sustainability in their local communities.

8. Appoint a Hounslow champion of global environmental issues to lead advocacy across the community.

9. Make support and advice available to all councillors wanting to plan in detail how they can be effective leaders of the transition to environmental sustainability in their community.

10. Proactively apply for government, trust and foundation grants, as well as commercial sponsorship and investment, to enable a one planet economy in Hounslow.

11. Report annually to scrutiny committee and full council on progress against targets in a short "State of the environment" report.

Furthermore this council encourages:

- Councillors and Council staff to lead the changes required in their own streets and local communities.

- All councillors to assess their ecological footprint over the next three months and share their footprint data, their planned actions, as well as barriers to footprint reduction, at local area committees by the end of the year.

- All staff to assess their ecological footprint over the next three months and share their footprint data, their planned actions, as well as barriers to footprint reduction, in staff meetings by the end of the year.