Action to tackle the climate emergency was top of the agenda at today’s (8 April) quarterly meeting of the West of England Combined Authority led by Metro Mayor Dan Norris.
The Metro Mayor and leaders of the local councils agreed a brand new climate action plan ahead of voting through £10.4m of cash to get down to work on meeting the West of England’s ambitious net zero targets.
Investment includes:
- £3.2m as part of a retrofit plan to make more West of England homes more energy efficient.
- £1.45m to create a Community Pollinator Fund to fund more green spaces to attract bees and other pollinators
- £100,000 to kick start rolling out more electric vehicle charging points across the region.
Speaking after the meeting, Metro Mayor Dan Norris said: “The West of England is an amazing place to grow up and grow old in. But we are living in the midst of a deadly climate and ecological emergency. We therefore need to take urgent steps to protect our brilliant part of the world.
“We need to make homes more energy efficient and lead an electric vehicle revolution. I’ve also pledged to make the West of England the bee and pollinator capital of the UK. These are steps that everyone can get behind and I know West of England people wherever they live – from our most rural communities to our market towns and our great cities of Bristol and Bath – want to rise to the challenge that climate change presents.”
Ian Barrett Chair of the West of England Nature Partnership and Chief Executive of the Avon Wildlife Trust who spoke in favour of the strategy said: “I am delighted this was voted through. Now the hard work begins.”
