• THE Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s new report, this month, warned the natural world is being pushed beyond its ability to adapt, with many changes brought about by the climate crisis “irreversible” now.

More than 40 per cent of the world’s population are “highly vulnerable” to what is happening, with only a short period of time to act to minimise the worst.

While too many governments still dither, we must take action at grass-roots level.

We have opened up how we make decisions by holding the first climate citizens’ assembly in the country and councillors declared a climate emergency.

In recent years we have put the emergency at the heart of the council’s work: with the largest Passivhaus council home building in the country, tripling the length of protected cycle lanes to more than 24km to decarbonise transport while keeping people safe and cutting air pollution; and planting record numbers of trees, raising our ambition to ensure 25 per cent canopy cover; among the top in the country.

Individuals and local groups have been making changes in their neighbourhoods. Camden Climate Investment (abundanceinvestment.com/camden) allows residents to support action such as introducing new healthy school streets, new electric vehicle chargers, additional solar panels on public buildings, and swapping the council’s fleet for non-diesel or petrol alternatives, making a real and immediate difference to our environment.

Camden Labour’s platform for this period sets out a plan to combine environmental justice with social justice: delivering housing for local people, supporting residents with the cost of living crisis and to escape fuel poverty, and rolling out the largest ever insulation and retrofit programme to improve council housing in Camden.

CLLR ADAM HARRISON
Cabinet Member for a Sustainable Camden