Environmentalists are concerned that the City of Lincoln Council’s 2030 carbon neutral target appears to be slipping after senior councillor, Bob Bushell, called the council’s goal of a net zero Lincoln a ‘challenge’ and ‘difficult’ due to inflation and the expensive measures needed to move in a greener direction.
The council originally set out a plan in 2019 to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 in line with other local authorities around the country.
Dan Clayton, Sustainability Manager in charge of Lincolnshire County Council’s journey to carbon neutrality said: “The County Council has set a net zero target of 2050.”
The target for Lincolnshire aligns with the government’s net zero strategy set out in October of last year for the UK.
Geoff Stratford was involved in drafting up the council’s declaration to lower carbon emissions back in 2019 but is now a part of the Extinction Rebellion group in Lincoln.
He is also a founding member of the Lincoln Climate Commission which work with the City of Lincoln Council, Siemens and the University of Lincoln to encourage organisations to think more carefully about climate issues.
Mr Stratford feels that trying to reach the target needs to be a priority despite financial issues.
He said: “The reason we need carbon neutrality is simply because we want a liveable future. We are facing a horrible, horrible future as there’s an existential threat to human life on the planet.”
Although Mr Stratford helped to draft the plan, he thinks 2030 is too soon for Lincoln to become net zero.
He said: “The idea that our city (Lincoln) can achieve it in the present circumstances by 2030 is wrong, it can’t. The simple reason for that is that the city can’t control what’s happening. It needs major major government changes that the councils don’t have direct (financial) control over.
“It is very difficult for local councils to do much that’s very effective and in some ways the councils have tried however having more money will enable them to do more and better but central government make it really difficult.”
The City of Lincoln Council were asked to comment but didn’t respond.