Local Elections 23: Climate change remains a priority

The Lib Dems want Peterborough to regain our status as an environmental leader to ensure that residents are living in a pollution-free and clean environment and help preserve our planet for future generations. And here is how we propose to do it......

We believe that climate change is a fundamental threat to our way of life and to our wildlife. The Lib Dems also believe that Peterborough City Council should lead by example when it comes to energy conservation and renewable energy.

The Lib Dems support the declaration of a Climate Emergency by the Council and its aim for council activities to be carbon neutral by 2030. However, we believe this is the tip of the iceberg and we will aim for wider Peterborough carbon reduction targets, with the goal of the city being carbon neutral before 2045.

We will use the council’s planning powers to promote high energy conservation standards and use of renewable forms of energy within new housing and commercial developments.

To help wildlife, we will reduce the Council's use of toxic pesticides and we will increase the number of council-owned biodiversity and wildflower areas and seek to use the grass clippings generated as a source of renewable energy to gain extra income for the Council.

We support the Forest for Peterborough initiative which aims to plant one tree for every person in Peterborough and the Council's more ambitious targets for tree planting on its own land. This will encourage more wildlife; improve the quality of the air we breathe and help tackle the climate emergency.

Visits to parks and green spaces have been proven to improve people’s mental and physical health. The Lib Dems will safeguard and enhance parks and playing fields across our city, so that future generations are able to access a green space close to their home.

The Lib Dems are concerned that too much waste is being incinerated in Peterborough, rather than prioritising reduction, re-use, and recycling. We will review the future of the waste incinerator in Peterborough and whether this is best for the long-term sustainability of the area.

The council should look to reduce the time taken to clear fly-tipping, reintroduce street cleaners in problem areas and work with parish councils and community groups to increase the number of ‘community litter picks’ happening across our city. We will also work to reduce fly-tipping by reviewing the unfair and counter-productive Brown Bin Tax, as we believe that residents should not be penalised for being responsible and sending their garden waste for composting. We will introduce a bulky waste collection service giving residents two free collections each year.

Food makes up 1/5th of our city’s carbon footprint, so we will encourage residents to take up the challenge to cut carbon in food consumption (and waste): reducing their food bills at the same time. We want to see the Council's food waste collections from households work effectively and we would tackle the current issues that are currently making it difficult for people to get bags for their foodcollection caddies.

By achieving all of the above we will make our city a better place to live, work and bring up our families. A healthy work life balance should just be measured in time but by the quality of our environment too.