East Suffolk Council Climate Action Framework - Paper - Page 23
17. Engaging policy makers on climate action
Engaging with policy makers on responding to the climate emergency plays an important role in our programme.
Much of this engagement is led by the cross-party Environment Task Group (ETG). The group is open and transparent in relation to its
lobbying activities, publishing the correspondence on its webpage here.
Previous activities include:
October 2021: The ETG wrote to Defra urging the Government to use primary legislation to ensure that the principles of the Climate
and Ecological Emergency Bill relating to the UK reducing its contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions in line with keeping the
global mean temperature rise within 1.5 degrees C, compared to pre-industrial levels and to halt and reverse the loss of nature,
putting it back on the path to recovery by 2030, receiving a reply from BEIS.
May 2021: The ETG and Greenprint Forum wrote to the Secretary of State for Defra to raise concerns on topics which can have a
negative impact on biodiversity.
December 2020: The ETG and Greenprint Forum wrote to , the Minister of State for Business, Energy & Clean Growth at BEIS; the
Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs; the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government; and
the Secretary of State for Transport to continue the correspondence with Government commenced in August to press the
Government to provide local councils with the correct framework, systems and resources to respond to the everchanging
environment and deliver on its climate change commitments.
August 2020: The The ETG and Greenprint Forum wrote to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industry Strategy (BEIS),
to encourage the Government to consider the unique opportunity of bringing about lasting changes to address climate change in its
Covid-19 recovery plan. In September 2020 we received a response from BEIS.
Strategic engagement on national energy projects.
Many new connections and significant transmission and generation infrastructure is required to deliver net zero carbon emissions in the
UK by 2050. Much of this activity is taking place around the East Coast. As a Planning Authority, East Suffolk Council plays a key role in
engaging with these projects.
More information on our engagement with Government can be found here
