Locally Green

In 2018, Bristol's Carla Denyer, a Green Party Councillor, declared the UK's first Climate Emergency getting her council to commit to becoming carbon neutral by 2030. Since that time, 75% of local authorities, most UK universities and even the UK Parliament, have made similar undertakings. In spite of there being many good ideas (some with trials) and evident local political will, there appears to have been a distinct lack of meaningful action (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/13/council-efforts-to-tackle-climate-crisis-hampered-by-uk-government). This lack of movement to a 'greener' future, is said to be a consequence of the deep financial cuts imposed on councils by central government as well as a lack of ministerial leadership. This appears to be yet another situation (along with test and trace for Covid-19), where the UK's tendency to run down local government (and to concentrate decision-making in Westminster), inhibits effective action. Local people have a better idea about how to do things in their areas.