Winchester supports calls on climate change
Winchester City Council leaders are backing calls for action on climate change as Prime Minister David Cameron attends the UN Climate Conference which starts today (Monday 30 November).
Cllr Stephen Godfrey, the Leader of Winchester City Council, and Cllr Frank Pearson, Portfolio Holder for Environment, Health and Wellbeing, have joined 750 local people and leading figures from the Winchester District in signing a letter organised by Winchester Action on Climate Change (WinACC) which was delivered to 10 Downing Street on Friday (27 November).
The letter supports a strong and binding world-wide plan to tackle global warming and urges the Prime Minister to press the conference to agree practical and far-reaching actions that each country commits itself to carry out.
Cllr Godfrey attended and spoke at the march in Winchester that WinACC organised at the weekend as did Cllr Lucille Thompson, the Liberal Democrat Leader.
This year is forecast to be the hottest year on record, beating the previous record set in 2014, and the planet's temperature is probably 1 degree hotter than it was 250 years ago. Unless urgent action is taken, it is expected to take less than 50 years to heat up another degree risking catastrophic climate change.
Cllr Stephen Godfrey said:
Winchester City Council plays its part in tackling climate change in many ways locally including LED lighting in car parks, better insulation in council homes, walking and cycling strategies, advice to residents on energy-saving and support for others such as local businesses to do their bit. But this is a global issue and we are keen to give Winchester’s backing to the efforts being made at the Paris conference.