Havering Council has officially declared a climate emergency.
At a Full Council meeting on Wednesday 22 March 2023, the Labour motion was passed by 42 votes to 0 with 5 abstentions.
The decision to declare a climate emergency is the latest step in Havering's effort to combat climate change.
In 2021, the Council launched its Climate Change Action Plan, which sets an ambitious target to reach net zero carbon emissions in Havering by 2040.
Keith Darvill, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, said:
“Passing this motion declaring a climate emergency and joining the majority of other London boroughs is an important and necessary move forward for Havering.
“Climate change is here now. There’s no shying away from that.
"We only need to look back at the last few years here in Havering to see the devastating consequences of this climate emergency locally.
"We’ve experienced an increased number of flooding events and of course most recently the wildfires endangering life and destroying homes and a community in Wennington.
“According to the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (‘IPCC’) - urgent and unprecedented changes are needed to keep global warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees centigrade.
"In light of this we will continue to review and improve our Climate Change Action Plan to drive forward significant change and put the power in the hands of residents and businesses to be part of that change.
“Declaring a climate emergency goes further to emphasise both the seriousness and urgency of this work.”
Learn more about our work to tackle the climate emergency and view the Council’s full Climate Change Action Plan.