Making progress on cutting CO2 emissions

Crawley councillor Duncan Crow SUS-160505-164739001

What gets less media coverage is the Conservative Government’s strong record in reducing the UK’s CO2 emissions and their very green environmental agenda.

Despite a rising population and solid economic growth, the UK’s CO2 emissions have fallen by 23 per cent since 2010. I am proud to say this is the biggest percentage drop of any major global economy, with the USA having the second largest percentage reduction of CO2.

However, it is concerning that overall global output of CO2 is still rising, mostly due to ongoing increases in China and the rest of Asia, although I’m not aware of any crowds outside the Chinese Embassy during last Friday’s Climate Change protests.

I also wish the best of luck to anyone who wants to protest in China about their poor environmental record!

Resources and Waste Strategy

I am pleased that our government is very forward-thinking when it comes to the environment. Last December they launched their Resources and Waste Strategy. The strategy will put the onus on producers to pay the full net costs of disposal or recycling of the packaging that they place on the market.

It will also introduce a consistent set of recyclable materials that are collected from households and businesses, with consistent labelling on packaging so that we the consumer know what we can recycle. This will help drive up recycling rates, of which Crawley is currently the lowest in the whole of West Sussex.

There will be moves to ensure dedicated weekly collections of food waste and it will consider free household garden waste collections.

There will also be plans to introduce a deposit return scheme, to increase the recycling of single- use drinks containers including bottles, cans, and disposable cups. These ambitious plans will need good working with local Councils in order to succeed, which is why my Conservative colleagues and I have tabled a motion for the next Full Council meeting at Crawley Borough Council, to gain local support for this bold strategy.

In Crawley we must do our part to help continue the UK’s good record on environmental issues.

Last week’s colulmn: https://www.crawleyobserver.co.uk/news/borough-council-should-fund-the-open-house-1-8808818

https://www.crawleyobserver.co.uk/news/no-deal-brexit-does-not-mean-the-sky-will-be-falling-in-1-8801652