CAMPAIGNERS have called for “actions not words”, as they urge Darlington Council to take the climate crisis seriously.
The local authority is ranked 260 out of 314 in England, according to new data which examines the environmental work it is doing.
Darlington Council has committed to reduce its carbon emissions to net zero – a balance between greenhouse gas added to and removed from the atmosphere – by 2050.
And as well as declaring a climate emergency, around £1.52 is allocated per person to tackle the issue compared to the national average of £0.97.
Read more: Council lays out action plan for climate change
But campaigners have slammed a “complete lack of urgency” from the authority on tackling the issues.
Darlington and County Durham councils top the list of the households recycling the most waste, however Darlington comes in below the national average.
Each person in Darlington was responsible for 1.52 tonnes of domestic carbon emissions in 2019, meaning it ranks 226 out of 314 authorities.
The number of efficient homes in the area (35.6 per cent), measured by how much energy it takes to heat and power a home, are also below the national average of 39.1 per cent.
World leaders have gathered at the COP 26 summit in Glasgow over the last two weeks to deliver a series of stark speeches warning of the need for urgent action.
In the UK, the Government has announced a series of announcements to protect and restore forests, phase out coal power, and drive green investment.
The Government’s net zero strategy included an announcement of £620 million for electric vehicle grants to support the rollout of charging infrastructure.
However, figures show Darlington is behind many other parts of Great Britain with the pace of its EV charging point rollout.
Statistics show there were 31 public charging points in the area at the start of October – up from 29 a year before. At a rate of 29 per 100,000 people, this is below the UK average, of 39.
But the council said more charging points are due.
Leader of the council and lead on climate change, Heather Scott, said: “We are working with the Tees Valley Combined Authority and the other Tees Valley local authorities to increase the number of electric vehicle charging points in Darlington.
"Feasibility work, looking at locations and other factors is underway, and we hope this will lead to 30 – 40 new charging points in car parks close to the town centre soon.”
But campaigners remain unconvinced. “There’s a complete lack of urgency,”said Kendra Ullyart of Darlington Friends of the Earth.
“A lot of the indicators for Darlington are below the average, so we’re not aspiring to do anything in particular.
“We want to be celebrated for being ingenious Darlington, we want to aspire to be the best. It’s actions that we need not just words.”
Cllr Scott added: “As a council we take climate change and green issues very seriously and are working hard to improve our own practices and encourage businesses and individuals to do all they can.”
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