Motion to Declare a Climate Emergency
‘Climate Emergency’ is an internationally recognised declaration being used by the UK Government, Plymouth City Council, other local authorities, higher education institutions and businesses to publicly declare concern about the impact of human activities on the climate.
The declaration also serves as a commitment to take urgent action and shift towards carbon neutrality. It is a powerful call to action that engages the entire community, including the social enterprise and business community.
Humans have already caused irreversible climate change, the impacts of which are being felt around the world. Scientists agree that limiting global temperature increase to below 1.5C is the best way to avoid catastrophic change. This will require global reduction in emissions to net zero by 2050. https://www.ipcc.ch
Climate leaders such as Plymouth City Council are aiming for net zero by 2030, and this declaration shares that ambition.
Individuals cannot be expected to make this reduction on their own. We must all work together to achieve the changes that are needed. These include changes in legislation, regulation, education, and infrastructure as well as in day to day behaviours and business practices.
Plymouth Social Enterprise Network believes that socially responsible businesses, including social enterprises, co-operatives, community businesses and private enterprise have a responsibility to all stakeholders, whether they be employees, customers, members or shareholders to:
- Accept that there is urgency and we must act now.
- Take a positive approach which maximises engagement and minimises blame.
- Significantly step up our commitment to addressing the climate breakdown.
- Be bold in our ambitions to embrace new practices and business models that offer solutions to the climate breakdown.
(Adapted from B Lab Climate Emergency Playbook https://pardot.bcorporation.net/climateemergencyplaybook)
PSEN resolves to:
- Declare a Climate Emergency
- Ensure that its own activities are carbon neutral by 2030
- Encourage and support PSEN member organisations to reshape their strategy, business model and operations towards carbon neutrality by 2030
- Engage with local government, businesses and the voluntary and community sector to champion bold and sustained action towards carbon neutrality by 2030