East Suffolk Council

East Suffolk Council declared a climate emergency in 2019. In 2023, it extended this declaration to include nature, deliberately referencing biodiversity and ecology in the motion too. The council considered this crucial to addressing the 'existential crisis of our time'. Extending the declaration put it on equal footing with tackling greenhouse gas emissions, and was key to fulfilling other ambitions too, like joining the campaign for the Climate and Nature Bill, and requiring 20% biodiversity net gain from developers.

Goals

The council plans to deliver over 100 climate change, sustainability and nature-related workstreams as part of its eight Environmental Impact priorities.

This work includes the challenge of ensuring Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, like nuclear power station Sizewell C, comply with development plans and have the least possible impact on nature.

Achievements

By 2025, the council had:

• initiated the writing of a tree strategy with a motion.
• secured funding for several self-irrigating bee planters.
• carried out wildflower seed scrapes on verges.
• committed to achieve a 1% uplift in canopy cover with 250,000 new trees.