Extinction Rebellion Stirling planted trees outside the Stirling Council grounds to protest against the Council’s lack of action since declaring a climate emergency in October last year.
The climate activists planted 23 trees at the Old Viewforth grounds. By doing this, the group were asking the Council to take the climate and ecological crisis seriously, and to accept responsibility for its contribution by taking bold steps to make the Stirling Council area carbon neutral by 2025.
A Stirling Council spokesperson said: “The Council remains committed to reducing carbon emissions and dealing with the impact of climate change across the Stirling area.
“The Global Pandemic has impacted the lives of every citizen, organisation and business and responding to this has obviously been the priority of the Council in recent months as our focus has been on protecting public health and supporting our businesses and communities through the recovery stages.
“This has impacted many aspects of planned Council work this year, including the development of the Climate Emergency Plan.”
A spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion said: “Stirling Council’s woeful inaction in producing a strategy and action plan is worrying. Whilst we understand and appreciate that COVID-19 has presented some unexpected challenges for the Council we know the climate emergency has the potential to present similar, if not bigger impacts to the residents of Stirlingshire.”
The group planted the trees on the morning of fifth September, along the location of the proposed Viewforth Link Road project.
Maintaining social distancing and wearing face masks, members then stood with signs asking what the council’s plan is and demanded a Citizens Jury to decide Stirling;s future together during the Covid-19 recovery.
Stirling Council launched a Climate Conversations survey in March, however, days later the country went into lockdown and community meetings and forums had to be cancelled: “We extended the period of the online survey in recognition of the pandemic and we have received more than 1,000 completed responses, and over 2,200 individual comments.”
“These responses will be analysed and used to inform work on the Council’s Climate Emergency Action Plan, which is led by our Climate Emergency Member Officer Working Group, ensuring representation from all political parties, and reports will be taken to the Environment and Housing Committee later this year.”
However, Extinction Rebellion have said the survey “is not enough and cannot supply a real participatory process.
“We need a real consultation with Stirling communities and local residents and the need for a Citizen’s Jury is growing more every day.”
A spokesperson for the council further said: “Stirling Council has taken the lead on tackling the Climate Emergency locally and has implemented a string of transformational sustainability projects to improve and protect the environment.
“The Council remains committed to this agenda and will continue to deliver for the people of Stirling.”
Feature Image Credit: Extinction Rebellion Stirling
Journalism and Politics student// Editor-in-Chief 2021/22
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