Mole Valley District Council

Ecological Emergency This Council acknowledges that:1. This Council declared a Climate Emergency in 2019 and has developed an ambitious Climate Strategy which is successfully being implemented. This has placed us well on the way to reach carbon neutrality by 2030.2. The ‘Living Planet Report’ published in 2020 by The World Wildlife Fund for Nature in collaboration with the Zoological Society of London confirms that the population of amphibians, birds, fish, mammals and reptiles has seen an average drop of 68% globally since 1970.3. Humans’ destruction of nature is having catastrophic impacts not only on wildlife but also on human health and many other aspects of our lives.4. Nature is declining globally, at a rate unprecedented in millions of years.In recognition of this, Council resolves to:1. Declare an Ecological Emergency.2. Establish an Ecology Informal Cross Party Members Group to propose targets for improvement, with terms of reference, for consideration by Cabinet.3. Include ecological impact implications alongside those for climate and sustainability in MVDC committee and council reports.4. Take steps to embed ecological initiatives within Council work areas, and work with our partners and stakeholders towards the same goals.5. Ensure that the climate and ecological emergencies and nature recovery are regarded as strategic priorities in land management and planning policies and address issues of ecology in our Climate Strategy Action Plans.6. Consider these resolutions when forming the council’s Annual Plan for 2023-24 and thereafter on an annual basis in the light of available Council resources and other Council priorities with a view to implementing such initiatives whenever possible

— Full Council (Source)