CALLS to make BCP Council carbon neutral by 2030 will be considered next week.

Green councillors Simon Bull and Chris Rigby will put forward a motion declaring a “climate and ecological emergency” at the Tuesday (July 16) full council meeting.

The pair had originally hoped to set a 2025 target but ambitions have now been scaled back to 2030 to make work “more manageable”.

In May, Dorset Council made a similar declaration, following in the footsteps of dozens of local authorities from across the country.

Cllrs Bull and Rigby announced their intention to request similar actions were taken by BCP Council in the same month.

Details of the motion have been published ahead of its discussion on Tuesday.

It says that individuals need the support of society as a whole to tackle the issue and that the council’s existing plans and work “is not enough”.

“It is important for the residents of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, and for the UK, that towns and cities commit to carbon neutrality as quickly as possible,” it says.

“Large conurbations are uniquely placed to lead the world in reducing carbon emissions as they are, in many ways, easier to decarbonise than rural areas.

“The consequences of global temperature rising above 1.5C are so severe that preventing this from happening must be humanity’s number one priority.

“Bold climate action can deliver economic benefits in terms of new jobs, savings and marked opportunities, as well as improved wellbeing for people worldwide.”

The motion calls on the council to declare a climate and ecological emergency, pledge “to make BCP Council and all its operations” carbon neutral by 2030, to work on setting a target for the region as a whole before the national 2050 goal and to call on the government to provide more powers.

Cllrs Bull and Rigby had originally hoped for a 2025 target to be set but said a “compromise” of 2030 had been reached.

“We had some conversations and want to make sure that we have something which is achievable,” he said.

“There has been a lot of positive feedback on this and I’m hopeful that it will be passed next week.”