THE senior county councillor for environmental impact has said that reducing the council’s carbon footprint is a “life or death” matter but that the council has “already done a lot”.

Brian Jones, cabinet member for highways, environmental impact, waste and sustainable travel, said he is “very pleased” that the motion to declare a “climate emergency” received “unanimous” approval from councillors at Ruthin County Hall on July 2.

He will have an executive role in the task and finish group that will now be set up, which will include the three councillors who tabled the cross-party motion.

Cllr Jones said that he is confident the council’s pending call for Welsh Government funding to cut carbon emissions would be granted because “like health and safety issues, money should not be the main concern”.

“The environment is one of the council’s five key priorities under its Corporate Plan and protecting the environment is very much at the centre of our plans,” he said. “There was an extremely positive debate in the chamber, with unanimous support for the motion.”

Cllr Jones said the council has “already done a lot but we can do more” to reduce its carbon emissions. He cited how it has doubled the renewable energy its produces; plans to switch to 100 per cent renewable electricity in its buildings from October; has installed seven charging points for its vehicles; and is currently working to cut its carbon dioxide emissions by 15 per cent by 2022.

The council recently planted 4,800 trees as part of its plan to plant 18,000 in Denbighshire by 2022, and earlier this year it was awarded Bee Friendly status by the Welsh Government, a scheme which aims to make Wales a pollinator-friendly country.