Council Constitution changes in response to the climate emergency declaration
Camden Council has adopted a series of amendments to the council’s constitution, which will ensure that all council decisions seek to enhance the natural environment, and to act to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
Camden council is the first local authority to enact constitutional changes in response to the Climate emergency. The council has also established a new Citizen Panel, which will meet four times a year, to oversee the delivery of its new Climate Action Plan.
“Significant progress has been made in Camden since we declared a climate emergency in 2019. Carbon dioxide emissions are now 39% below 2010 levels as we transition towards a zero carbon borough by 2030 and our new Climate Action Plan sets a clear framework towards that goal.
“Good governance will be central to progress as we move forward with our climate emergency response, and I am proud that Camden has led the way through recent changes to our Constitution.”
The Constitutional changes, agreed at the full Council in September 2020, now explicitly require Councillors to act to mitigate and ensure resilience to climate change in recognition of the climate emergency. They also require all Council decisions from now on to seek to enhance the natural environment.
Councillor Adam Harrison continued:
“I was pleased to work alongside representatives of Climate Emergency Camden and Extinction Rebellion Camden to bring this Constitutional change to fruition.
“To further strengthen the scrutiny of our climate emergency response, we have also established a new Citizen Panel to review the progress of our new Climate Action Plan.
“The Citizen Panel was recruited to over the summer, with membership closely reflecting the demographics of the borough. The panel met for the first time on October and meets again in November.
“The Citizen Panel adds a new participatory angle to Council governance, placing our residents at the heart of decision making.”
Chandrima Padmanabhan, Citizen Panel member, said:
“I wanted to say how much I really appreciate the energy and pro-activeness that Camden Council bring to this project, and the commitment to comprehensively keep citizens an integral part of the process.
“I'm very excited about engaging more closely in the coming months!”
- The amended constitution now reads: “Protect and, if possible, enhance the natural environment to the benefit of the borough and its residents and act to mitigate and ensure resilience to climate change in recognition of the declared climate emergency.”