Local Greens have challenged Maidstone Borough Council to up its game on climate change after they revealed a lack of ambition in its plans. At this week’s Council meeting, Stuart Jeffery asked what level of carbon reduction was planned by the council and was told that their plans will amount to only a 32% reduction by 2030.
Stuart Jeffery, Maidstone Green Party: “Maidstone Borough Council’s climate plan does not add up. More than two years have passed since I proposed that MBC should declare a climate emergency and prepare an action plan to reduce carbon emissions across the borough yet their current plan lacks ambition, targets and simply doesn’t do what it needs to.”
“Their current plan contains no targets expressed in terms of carbon or percentage reduction. They have no idea of the impact of any of the multitude of items on the plan or indeed the plan as a whole.”
“Other councils have plans that reduce carbon by 70% over the coming years, with the remaining 30% sitting in the hands of the national government, so why can Maidstone only get to 45% and then only in 28 years’ time? They need to up their game.
“The emergency is now. The world is burning. The UK needs to show leadership and our politicians need to show leadership. The time to act is now.”