Brighton & Hove City Council leader Jason Kitcat on climate change

We have the evidence, the resources and the ability to prevent runaway climate change, according to world scientists. The IPCC, the international scientific body set up by the UN, first collected and published evidence about climate change way back in 1990. Since then there have been four more updates reviewing the latest research in climate science, including the most recent one a few weeks ago.

Globally we’re making some progress in reducing our negative impact on the planet, but not quickly enough. It can feel like an enormous problem that individuals, households or even cities can’t tackle alone. However while we do need international co-operation and agreements that reflect fair use of resources, and a move away from fossil fuels, there is plenty we can and should do locally.

Scientists have pointed out that mitigating climate change also has benefits for air quality, energy security and supply, our health and ecosystems. For example we recently heard at a local Sussex Air Conference that every resident of Brighton & Hove has their life expectancy reduced by 6 months, and 1 in 20 deaths in the South East are caused by polluted air. Cleaning up our air is a major reason we’re promoting walking, cycling and public transport as a way of getting around our city.

Also we’ve been installing new boilers, external wall insulation and solar panels to reduce council tenants’ energy bills and cut CO2 emissions. We are using similar measures whenever renovating council offices too. Whenever possible we are seeking external grant funding to support this work.

Quite aside from the major risks to Brighton & Hove from irreversible global warming, we can make positive changes with immediate benefits for our city. The longer we wait, the more difficult it becomes to move towards a more sustainable society; the time is now.