Opinion: COP27 and the City Council: what power do we have in Peterborough?

Years of Conservative national and local government have trashed the economy and squeezed our City Council finances.

COP27 reminds us why this matters. We need to build a different future around our most precious resources - Planet and People.

When scientists first realised global warming was happening, they called on us to “Do less harm”.

There were some successes. Back in 1987, regulations on CFCs were introduced, meaning safer fluids are used in new fridges and aerosols, and making sure we get rid of the old ones carefully. Result - the hole in the ozone layer is healing.

Next, we moved on to net zero: “Do no harm”.

Peterborough City Council passed a net zero motion in 2019 and this month the Council is holding public consultations, asking us what we think that Peterborough should ACTUALLY do to reach net zero. Visit here to get involved https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/news/dates-announced-for-major-peterborough-climate-debate

Like Peterborough City Council, the COPs have had big plans, but the promised actions don’t add up to a big enough change - yet. Worse still, they have failed to agree we must STOP burning fossil fuels - while greenhouse gases are still rising and global warming continues.

In Peterborough, we burn most fossil fuels when we heat our homes and drive our cars - politicians should be doing more to help us do the right thing – and protect public services from spending cuts.

Transport is 50% of Peterborough’s CO2 emissions. A proper national tax on the bumper profits of the fossil fuel firms would fund better local public transport infrastructure – priorities for buses, bikes and people at road crossings, safe cycle tracks, smooth pavements, good pedestrian areas. Every mile someone doesn’t drive means less fossil fuel burnt and less greenhouse gas emission.

Half of Peterborough’s housing is EPC rated below band C, causing 26% of our CO2 emissions. Last week’s national budget announced a new £630 million stealth tax on social housing providers that will mean less investment. In the same budget, the new government cut the bank levy and bank surcharge. This means a huge £18 billion tax giveaway to big banks over the next five years. If they switched to fairer taxes instead, there would be more money for grants so we can insulate our homes better and invest in renewable energy. Every hour we don’t need to use a heater and every solar panel we can install means less fossil fuel gets burnt.

The key win from COP27 was agreement on “Loss and Damage”. Countries that caused most global warming should help the places suffering most from extreme floods and droughts. Meanwhile the environmental debate has already moved up to the next level, “Do Good”. This means real people power, so we can demand our governments help us live more sustainably on the Planet – for the future of humanity.

Our power in Peterborough lies in making choices in our homes and in how we travel, and in taking part in the City’s consultation – and wider politics.

We need a fair green deal: join the Liberal Democrats if you want the government to tax the rich, support ordinary people, invest in home insulation and prioritise public transport – for People and Planet.