Climate Action Plan needs to be more ambitious

20 November 2022

We have submitted a response to the Climate Action Plan consultation. Whilst it is positive a CAP has been produced — at last — the plan needs to be much more ambitious, comprehensive and strategic if Calderdale is to reach net zero by 2038. Currently we are not on track to reach this target.

The following recommendations are including in our consultation response:

1. Much more needs to be done on climate adaptation given Calderdale is so prone to flooding something that is going to get worse. As well as building higher walls along rivers, there needs to much more green infrastructure such as trees and green roofs in our towns and villages to help soak up heavy rainfall.
2. Higher standards, ideally Passivhaus or netzero building standards, should be a pre-requisite for all new builds, including the thousands of new houses set out in the Local Plan. Currently these can be built at the minimum national standards, which leaves open the ridiculous scenario of them having to be retrofitted after they have been built.
3. The CAP sets a target to increase the sale of electric cars to 4,300 a year. This misses the point. Its focus should be on making public transport good, reliable, and cheap to use, to get people out of their cars or walking and cycling. This is what is needed to reduce carbon emissions and air pollution quickly, as well as ending the ongoing and very damaging focus on road building.

You can read our full response.