The City and I: The Role of The Community in The Climate Emergency

By Ellen Salter
August 2020

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In May 2019, the United Kingdom made history. On May 1st, the Labour Party gained unanimous support to become the first country in the world to declare a Climate Emergency. Since then, more than 1,700 local authorities in 30 nations have followed suit.

What is a ‘Climate Emergency’?

In short, there is no single definition. The term was first used in Melbourne in 2009 at the Climate Emergency Rally, and gained traction again in 2016 when Trent McCarthy (an Australian Greens Councillor) declared a Climate Emergency in Daerbin. Following last year’s global declarations the term attained widespread usage in popular parlance. The Oxford Dictionary chose Climate Emergency as the 2019 Word of the Year. Here, the Oxford Dictionary defines the term as ‘a situation in which urgent action is required to reduce or halt climate change and avoid potentially irreversible environmental damage’ resulting from it’.

Did you know that usage of the term Climate Emergency increased significantly between September 2018 and September 2019 by more than 10,000%?

If we must ‘avoid potentially irreversible environmental damage’, what is the threshold for an Emergency?

Again, there is no singular agreed definition for the Emergency Threshold. Malthusian Climate Pessimists will argue that we have long since passed it. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report argues 1.5 degrees. Others insist that humans can adapt to a 3 degree warming.

Globally, the Climate Emergency declarations vary. Members of the Klima-Bündnis (The Climate Alliance of European Cities) encourage cities to lower their carbon dioxide emissions by 10% every five years. Meanwhile, a number of European nations are pushing for carbon-neutrality by 2030. Scotland, for instance, aim to be a net-zero carbon society by 2045.

How can this be achieved?

Once a nation, city, local authority etc declares a Climate Emergency - the ruling body must set priorities to mitigate against the detrimental impacts of climate change. Typically these are developed as Climate Action Plans focusing on key carbon hotspots such as energy, transport, food, and the natural environment. There is no uniform template for a Climate Emergency Action Plan and these vary depending on the priorities for the area, the political and economic climate, and the geographical context.

What is the City, but the People?

The detail and depth of these Plans differ. However, one glaring omission is clear - the consideration of the role of people (the collective and individual) to support the attainment of the goals within the Plan. So, why are people so important? - As of July 2020, the Climate Emergency declarations covered the residency of more than 820 million individuals globally. In the UK, the number signifies that more than 90% of the population lives in Climate Emergency declared areas - the highest in the world! In New Zealand this represents 76% of the population; with many nations covering a similar proportion.

In order to develop a robust decarbonisation pathway, the community must be engaged and placed at the centre of the Climate Emergency. Action Plans must consider the role of the individual and the collective in the transition towards a low carbon future, including incentives for behavioural change, people-centred barriers and opportunities for decarbonisation, and stakeholder engagement amongst others. After all, the Climate Emergency declaration was first prompted by people - a civil movement inclusive of collective action, climate activists and pro-climate action politicians.

So here’s some key questions to you - Are you aware that your local authority has declared a Climate Emergency? Have you seen the Climate Emergency Action Plan? And, have you been consulted? And if so, why not?

5 Key Principles for Placing People at The Heart of the Climate Emergency

The list below presents our high-level recommendations for placing people at the Heart of the Climate Emergency. Are you aware of anything that may be missing? Contact us and let us know!

  1. At the inception of the Climate Emergency Declaration, clearly define and recognise the rights and responsibilities of those in your Community.

  2. Consider the distributional impact of Climate Emergency burdens - What are the societal impacts of each climate change intervention? Will energy commitments result in an increase in fuel poverty? Will the promotion of car share clubs exclude socio-economic groups? Are incentives in place to support retrofitting to improve energy efficiency for housing?

  3. Ensure early and timely stakeholder engagement - Have you considered stakeholder engagement for the whole community at timely intervals? Are the stakeholder engagement forums in accessible forums? Have you asked the local community what a Net Zero Carbon Community means to them? - Establishing an inclusive approach to stakeholder engagement will facilitate a great understanding of barriers and opportunities and promote positive engagement.

  4. Encourage Education & Awareness Raising - How are you promoting the work of your Climate Emergency? Are you providing resources so that the local community understands the approach and the implications? Have you ensured learning resources are appropriate for their target audiences? - Promoting and showcasing the positive outcomes of the Plan will inspire the local community and further encourage collective action.

  5. Work in Partnership - Averting the Emergency cannot be achieved in isolation. Work in partnership with your local communities, schools, businesses and residents to develop a coordinated approach to the Climate Emergency Action Plan. Can local businesses share critical infrastructure? Can communities group together to share transportation schemes? Can businesses support one another through the reciprocal provision of key products and services?

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5 Ways You Can Support Your Local Climate Emergency Action Plan

  1. Learn: Head to your local authority/regional website and learn about the local Climate Emergency Plans and Declarations - Share with your friends, family, local groups, and show support

  2. Review: Provide Feedback - Write to your local authority and provide suggestions for the Climate Emergency Action Plan

  3. Act: Adopt your local Climate Action Plan and create one at the household-level with tangible steps for change. Be it switching to green energy, taking public transport more often, or joining the Meat Free Monday Movement - we can all make a difference.

The United Nations says we may have as little as 10 years left to prevent irreversible environmental and societal damage. The Climate Emergency Declarations and related Action Plans present a profound opportunity to transition towards a low carbon future for people and planet and to help raise awareness for the everyday actions we must take to save the planet.

We can all make a difference to climate mitigation and adaptation at the city level. For, as William Shakespeare famously wrote “What is the city, but the people?”.

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