By Cllr Steve Pitt, Leader of Portsmouth City Council
As leaders across the world meet as COP29 to consider the response to the changing global climate, I thought it would be timely to share some reflections on what the issues mean for us in Portsmouth, and how we are seeking to respond locally.
In 2019, the council declared a climate emergency, and I think one of the big changes that I have seen play out over recent years is the shift from people talking about climate change and the impacts as something that might happen in the future, to people talking about the changes and impacts they are now seeing and feeling.
We see appalling pictures from around the world of ever more extreme natural disasters such as wildfires, floods and hurricanes. Closer to home, we’re also seeing more extreme weather events, and feeling the impacts including cancellations of events, damage to property and poorer health from things like heatstroke. I also share people’s concerns about other impacts on the natural environment, such as poor air quality and water quality.
In Portsmouth, we have a special natural environment, and a huge responsibility towards it. As a coastal city, we are also particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. In 2021, partners in the city worked together to develop a shared city vision, and agreed that by 2040, Portsmouth should be known as a ‘green city’. I think though that the natural environment is also critical to achieving other objectives of that shared vision, such as a ‘happy and healthy city’, and a ‘city with a thriving economy’. We won’t deliver of any of the vision if we can’t deliver on ensuring that Portsmouth is a greener city.
This is why, in developing the council’s own Corporate Plan for 2024-26, it was really important to me and the whole Cabinet that we continue to recognise this, and so we have made it a core mission for the organisation to work together with partners and communities to enhance our environment and protect it for the future. Within this, we have identified some key priorities, including:
- ensuring we are resilient to the impacts of climate change, through our multi-million pound transformative sea defence programme and by developing nature-based solutions
- continuing to both lobby and work with partners and agencies to improve air and water quality and city biodiversity
- developing solutions to address waste reduction, increasing reuse and recycling and responsible waste disposal; and
- ensuring that the organisation is doing all it can to be environmentally responsible in its activity, including reducing carbon emissions in line with our Net Zero commitments.
To me, it is really important that we recognise the importance of a healthy environment to residents being able to live well and thrive in the city. When I talk about a greener city, I mean that a city with greenery is attractive and we should encourage that – but I also mean that a city that has a good natural environment will be better for people, enabling them to make healthier lifestyle choices like walking or cycling. I mean that people will have a better experience of our city in their daily lives which will improve their mental health and wellbeing. I mean that we will have more urban nature, that we will have thought about how the climate affects things and designed the environment so there is less disruption and distress. I mean that the air will be safe to breathe and the water will be safe to bathe in. I mean that buildings will be adapted to help people use less energy to heat them, also saving them money. I mean that we are helping to create and supporting jobs in the sustainable industries of the future.
To me, a green city isn’t a choice – it is an imperative. We do have choices about how we get there, and the council does need to make choices about how it spends and invests money to carry out all of the duties and responsibilities it has. But when we are making those choices, and sometimes they are really hard choices, we are always thinking about what is in the best interests of the extraordinary people and environment of our city.
I wish all the representatives at COP29 well in their work, and I am hopeful that, by continuing the spirit of the city vision and all playing our part, we can create a bright future for generations to come.