Express & Star

Calls to act fast to tackle climate change

Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street has called on the region to act fast to tackle climate change.

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Andy Street

The West Midlands Combined Authority is set to approve new climate change targets to reduce carbon emissions across the region – members will discuss setting the targets and its meeting next Friday (July 26).

Mr Street has welcomed the targets as the “next important step” to a having credible plan to deal with the region’s climate emergency.

He said: “It is going to be tough and we have to act fast, but the region has a moral responsibility to tackle climate change. Setting these carbon targets is the next important step in our plan to deal with the climate emergency.

"We have a bigger challenge than Liverpool or Manchester because of our industrial heritage, but we also have a bigger opportunity to develop our low carbon businesses and create new jobs.

"Jaguar Land Rover’s investment in the Castle Bromwich factory to build the new all-electric Jaguar XJ is a brilliant example of what can be done to tackle climate change while creating well-paid jobs here in the region.

"Climate change is a major threat to our future generations, and we must get on with delivering a serious plan to tackle it."

The proposed target of reaching net-zero emissions no later than 2041 has been set based on scientific evidence.

A report prepared for next weeks’s meeting also proposes targets in the shorter term: a 36 per cent reduction by 2022, and a 69 per cent reduction by 2027.

These targets are intended to drive rapid action from businesses, local government and citizens in the region.