Response to Greenwich borough Climate Neutral Plan 2021-2030

I have written a response to the consultation on the Carbon Neutral Plan 2021-2030 for Greenwich borough, where I live. The plan recognises problems with carbon offsetting and negative emissions technologies: I suggested the council go further, and think in terms of a “zero carbon plan”. I urged the council to focus on the carbon budgets in the Tyndall centre Scatter tool, rather than those used by government. I suggested a wide public discussion on combining decarbonisation aims with measures to achieve social justice and resist government austerity policies. I called on the council to reverse its support for the climate-wrecking Silvertown Tunnel, the largest infrastructure project in the borough, which is incompatible with aspirations for cutting transport sector emissions. The council’s stubborn support for the tunnel is eroding local democracy, I argued, and I asked: “why would residents listen to anything the council has to say about the climate emergency, if it continues to support the tunnel project, so damaging for decarbonisation and air pollution policies, and does not even explain why?”