Agenda item

Consider report by Director Infrastructure and Environment.  (Copy attached.)

8.1     There had been circulated copies of a report by the Director Infrastructure and Environment seeking approval of the draft Public Bodies Climate Change Duties Compliance Report 2021/22, as contained in Appendix 1 to the report, and an organisational target for achieving zero direct greenhouse gas emissions.  The Council was also asked to agree a change in governance remit with the Executive Committee taking the lead role on matters of environmental sustainability, including leading and driving action to combat the negative impacts of climate change, build resilience to adapt to climate change and to deliver ‘Net Zero’.  The report explained that by the end of November each year, the Council, in common with other public bodies, was required to report to Scottish Government on its progress in delivering climate action organisationally and within the Local Authority area for the preceding financial year.  Amendments introduced this year placed additional reporting requirements on the Council including net zero targets and alignment of spend and resources with those targets. The Council had been working with the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute (ECCI) to develop an approach to meeting these requirements.  This approach proposed increasing the sources of emissions against which the Council reported.   This was consistent with the approach of other similar organisations and it increased the Council’s understanding of its emissions impact, while enhancing its ability to manage that impact on a trajectory consistent with national targets and the Council’s own targets.  As a consequence of additional national reporting requirements, the Council must set a target for its own emissions.  In response, it was requested that Council agree:

·                A high level organisational target of Net Zero by 2045 (or earlier if achievable) reflecting the national target for emissions; and

·                The development of sectoral targets within the Council’s operations, set for 5 year timescales to focus and drive forward meaningful action against those targets. 

8.2     Recognising that the Sustainable Development Committee was restricted to performing a role of oversight and scrutiny, it was proposed that responsibility for matters of environmental sustainability overseen by the Committee, including leading and driving action to combat the negative impacts of climate change, building resilience to adapt to climate change and to delivering ‘Net Zero’, be remitted to the Council’s Executive Committee with former members of the Committee continuing to operate as a cross-party consultative group on matters of environmental responsibility.  In response to a question regarding the number of Councillors who had attended the climate change training it was noted that it was less than 50%.  Members were encouraged to sign up for the future courses.  Members discussed the report and asked that more ambitious targets than 2045 be set where possible.  The need for the Council to lead by example was highlighted.

            DECISION

            AGREED:-

                  (a)  to approve the draft Public Bodies Climate Change Duties Compliance Report 2021/22, as contained in Appendix 1 to the report, for submission, with authority for final sign off being delegated to the Director of Infrastructure and Environment in consultation with the Executive Member for Environment and Transport;

                  (b) to approve an organisational target for achieving zero direct greenhouse gas emissions as follows:

                            (i)    A high level organisational target of Net Zero by 2045 (or earlier if achievable) reflecting the national target for emissions, and

                            (ii)   The development of sectoral targets within the Council’s operations, set for 5 year timescales to focus and drive forward meaningful action against the targets, as more particularly described in para 6.4 of this report; 

                  (c)  to amend the Scheme of Administration to remove the Sustainable Development Committee and to add the following delegated functions to the Council’s Executive Committee:

(i)      Provide direction, oversight and scrutiny of the Council’s strategies, plans, policies and actions in leading and driving action to combat the negative impacts of climate change, build resilience to adapt to climate change and to deliver net Zero carbon by 2045 (at the latest) both organisationally and in the Scottish Borders overall.

(ii)     Provide direction, oversight and scrutiny of the Council’s strategies, plans, policies and actions in leading and driving action to undertake, promote and deliver environmental practices which accord with the UN Sustainable Development Goals;

(iii)    Take cognisance of the Just Transition to a Net Zero Scottish Borders ensuring that all communities benefit from the transition and that co-benefits are maximised (e.g. circular economy employment opportunities, health benefits)

(d)     to set up a Sustainability Members Reference Group, comprising the current membership of the Sustainable Development Committee and with the terms of reference as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report.