Council supports Climate and Nature Bill

We declared a Climate Emergency in December 2023, and have had a Climate Change Strategy in place since 2022. That strategy sets out that our main aim is to make all our operations carbon net zero by 2030.

In addition, we are aiming to align climate change actions and environmental improvements with economic gain.

We have already:

• brought in new electric vehicles to deliver our meals at home service,
• moved away from diesel fuel to hydrogenated vegetable oil to power other vehicles,
• introduced a meadow management policy,
• promoted the annual Great Big Green Week,
• secured grants to reduce energy use in our Council homes,
• installed solar panels where appropriate across our homes and buildings,
• launched a new procurement strategy which has a renewed focus on sustainable procurement and delivery of social value, and
• organised Carbon Literacy training for all our managers.

Find out more about how we are tackling climate change

Climate and Nature Bill

If the Climate and Nature Bill, which is the forerunner to an Act of Parliament, is made law, it would require the United Kingdom to achieve climate and nature targets. The Bill would require the UK Government to develop and deliver an integrated climate and nature strategy, as part of:

1. tackling the intertwined crises in climate and nature in a joined-up way,

2. reducing emissions fairly and rapidly for the highest chance of meeting the UK’s obligation to limiting global warming to 1.5°C,

3. halting and reversing the decline in biodiversity by setting nature measurably on the path to recovery by 2030,

4. taking responsibility for the UK’s overseas emissions and ecological footprints,

5. prioritising nature in decision-making, and ending fossil fuel imports and production as rapidly as possible,

6. ensuring that no-one and no community is left behind in the just transition by providing retraining for those currently working in fossil fuel industries; and

7. involving citizens in finding a fair way forward via an independent, representative and temporary ‘Climate and Nature Assembly’, in order to bring public opinion along with the pace of change required.

A resolution raised by Cllr Don Whyte, Chair of the Council’s Environment and Sustainability Committee in support of the Bill was approved at February’s Full Council meeting.

As a result the Council has made its position public and written to the borough’s two MPs and the Zero Hour Campaign, making clear its support.

A letter signed by the leaders of the Council’s six political parties has been published setting out that the Council supports the bill and its importance.

Cllr Whyte said: “I am really pleased that Runnymede Borough Council is supporting this proposed Bill tasking Government to act more urgently in addressing the intertwined crises of climate and nature. 

“Everyone, both individuals and organisations, has a role to play in reducing the impacts we have on the environment. The Council, as a major land and property owner has an important role to play in both what it does and the leadership it provides in the community."

Read about how you can make a difference

The Climate and Nature Bill (formerly, the Climate and Ecology Bill) has been introduced in Parliament on four occasions since 2020, including most recently in the House of Commons on 16 October 2024 by Dr Roz Savage MP as a Private Member's Bill. It is now progressing through Parliament with cross-party support.

The Bill is backed by MPs and peers; local authorities and the London Assembly; scientists, such; NGOs, such as The Wildlife Trusts, Doctors’ Association UK, Friends of the Earth, The WI, The Climate Coalition and CPRE; businesses, such as The Co-operative Bank, Arup, JLL, Suez UK and Ecotricity; and 53,000 members of the public.

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