To receive a presentation by Peter Moore, Head of Climate Strategy, and Professor Tim Dixon, Co-Chair of Reading Climate Change Partnership, on The Reading Climate Emergency Strategy 2020-25.  

Peter Moore, Head of Climate Strategy, and Professor Tim Dixon, Co-Chair of Reading Climate Change Partnership, gave a presentation on The Reading Climate Emergency Strategy 2020-25. The presentation covered a wide range of topics including:

• The history of Reading Climate Change Partnership (RCCP), its current status and its relationship with Reading Borough Council;
• The relationship between RCCP and Reading Climate Action Network (RCAN);
• The strategy vision – a climate resilient, net zero town by 2030, the key priorities identified on pathway to net zero and the breadth of the target audience emphasised in achieving a net zero town;
• Key issues in relation to energy and low carbon development, transport, resources, water, nature, health and well-being;
• Highlights of the Reading Climate Festival 9 to 15 November 2020;
• Ongoing plans for engagement with RCCP and RCAN;
• The key aims and targets of the Council’s Carbon Plan 2020-25 and its importance in contributing to the Climate Emergency Strategy.

Peter Moore and Professor Tim Dixon answered questions put to them by members of the Committee. It was recognised that a lot of partnership work had gone into producing the Reading Climate Emergency Strategy 2020-25 and that there had been universal support for the Strategy across all the political groups of the Council.

Resolved – 

That Peter Moore and Professor Tim Dixon be thanked for their presentation and for all their hard work, together with the work of RCCP and RCAN, in producing the Strategy.

(Councillor Eden declared an interest on this item on the basis that she was an unpaid director of Reading Community Energy Society, nominated by Reading Borough Council.)