OUTSPOKEN climate change deniers should not deter Dumfries and Galloway Council from pursuing its net zero ambitions, an Annandale councillor has insisted.
There has been an “upward trend” in climate change naysayers, according to Annandale and Eskdale Councillor Archie Dryburgh, including US President Donald Trump.
But Councillor Dryburgh, who has been at the forefront of the council’s efforts to lower its carbon footprint, is adamant that the local authority must double down on its environmental efforts.
He spoke out at the full council meeting last week where councillors agreed to upgrade from a cross party working group on climate change to a climate, environment, and biodiversity sub committee.
This will have more power than the previous talk shop – as the local authority gets serious about achieving its net zero aims.
Councillor Dryburgh said: “I’ve been a member of the cross party working group since its inception.
“My group (Labour) believe this should be a sub committee of the full council as the outcomes very much feed across all council departments.”
He then proposed that the sub committee has 11 members, rather than just seven involved in the working group, and that any decisions taken should come back to full council meetings for final approval.
“We know there is an upward trend at the moment of naysayers – and we believe they’re wrong,” added Councillor Dryburgh.
“We need to follow what our objectives are and the target dates already agreed are met.”
Mid Galloway and Wigtown West Councillor Katie Hagmann described the issue and setting up of this sub-committee as “absolutely huge”.
Her SNP colleague, Stranraer and the Rhins Councillor Ben Dashper, said: “I’m fully supportive of this and hopefully we can get a bit more serious about climate change and our targets on that.”
In 2019 the council declared a climate emergency, set up the working group to tackle climate change in this region, and had high ambitions of reducing its carbon remissions to net zero by 2025.
However, this target was found to be unachievable and delayed by 15 years to 2040 earlier this year.
Despite the considerable time extension, Councillors Dryburgh and Dougie Campbell insisted that the council must not lose momentum.
