Issue - meetings

In 2023, this Council unanimously agreed a motion committing to have due regard to the needs of future generations whilst meeting the needs of today.

We recognise that we are currently failing that by adding to accumulated damages from legacy climate pollution, which already vastly exceeds safe limits. That overshoot has doubled in the last 15 years. 

We note: 

"Baked in" economic damages of close to 20% of global GDP by 2050.

Reputable scientific/ energy industry bodies recognise the need for "negative emissions"; removing CO2 from the atmosphere, scaling to multiple billions of tonnes annually from the 2030s and we are alarmed at the lack of credible plans to build up the required technologies to the level of sequestration required, partly due to lack of current demand.

We also regret unavoidable negative impacts on future generations’ wellbeing from the requirement to finance this removal of our waste. We agree it is unacceptable to leave our children and grandchildren with potentially an impossible, unaffordable task to avoid a ghastly future. 

We take our responsibility to future generations seriously and therefore request Cabinet to commit to: 

• Promoting local R&D and commercialisation of emerging negative emission technologies (NETs).

• Going beyond net zero, into negative emissions on our own account, at the earliest reasonable opportunity, in ways that have local environmental/ economic benefit and/or contribute to scaling up NETs.

• Working with our partners, suppliers and our networks to build a significant level of "demand pull", further stimulating the growth of NET supply chains.

Note: The motion, if passed, would constitute the exercise of an executive function in which case it will be referred to the Cabinet together with any advice the Council may wish to give, in accordance with Rule 13.5.1 (i) of the Council Procedure Rules in the Constitution. 

The time being close to 3.30 pm, this Motion was considered dropped in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 5.2.