Our Climate Emergency declaration
In 2019 Lewisham was one of the first local authorities in London to declare a ‘climate emergency’. Our Climate Emergency Action Plan was agreed by Mayor and Cabinet on 11 March 2020 and sets out our ambition for the borough of Lewisham to be carbon neutral by 2030. Since then, Lewisham Council has also signed up to the UK100 “Net Zero Local Leadership Pledge”, alongside over 40 other local leaders, to reach zero carbon before national government.
We are clear that action on climate change is action to support the most vulnerable in our communities. The consequences of inaction risks costs that will be impossible to meet. It is right that the public sector stands up for those least able to protect themselves and Lewisham’s Climate Emergency Action Plan seeks to place social justice at its centre.
The data used to establish Lewisham’s carbon emissions baseline was released by the Department of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy on Thursday 27 June 2019. This data shows carbon dioxide emissions in Lewisham were down by 38% since 2005.
Climate Emergency Action Plan summary
The strategy breaks down actions into five sections:
Inspiring, Learning and Lobbying
Each section of the strategy looks at action that the council has already taken, future plans as well as our asks of other actors, such as national government.
Read Annexes A and B below.