Telford councillor takes on climate change ‘misinformation’ as political consensus holds
A leading Telford councillor has launched a head-on response to the ‘misinformation’ that she has seen spreading on social media about climate change.
Telford & Wrekin Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and since then has been aiming for net zero greenhouse gas emissions, with Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats all agreeing with the general approach.
Councillor Carolyn Healy (Labour, Ironbridge) is the council’s cabinet member for neighbourhoods, planning and sustainability and has been watching people’s responses to the issue on social media.
“There is a lot of misinformation being deliberately circulated on this subject,” said Councillor Healy at a meeting on Tuesday (January 6).
She was presenting a report which detailed how the council has achieved a 63 per cent carbon reduction since declaring a climate emergency in 2019.
She said that the misinformation is having an impact on the national political consensus by “starting to be heard and get through to certain people”.
Councillor Healy apologised to her cabinet colleagues for giving a “science lesson” as she explained how the “absolutely overwhelming” consensus is that increasing carbon emissions are increasing global temperatures.
“Global temperatures have been higher but the rate of increase is higher than any observed in millions of years. That doesn’t give species the time to adapt to a warmer climate,” she said.
She added that net zero does not mean removing all carbon dioxide but returning it to its natural balance.
Councillor Healy also tackled claims that the UK has already done enough or can do things more quickly.
“This ignores the shocks climate change will cause,” she said.
The councillor added that a global response means Telford & Wrekin doing its bit in “our little bit of the world”.
Both the opposition party leaders added their support for tackling the issue.
Conservative group leader Councillor Andrew Eade (Church Aston and Lilleshall) said: “I’m supportive of the council doing this.
“In many ways it is the right thing to do.”
The Tory leader added that this country’s carbon emissions are ‘minuscule’ in comparison to China, India and the USA.
He also said he was “implacably opposed to putting solar farms on greenfield sites” amid general opposition to building on the countryside.
Lib Dem Group leader Bill Tomlinson (Shawbirch & Dothill) said: “Global warming is probably one of the biggest issues that the world faces today.
“It is possibly more important that the council’s budget.”
He added that he remembered the hot year of 1976 but that the temperature then has been beaten in 2025.
He welcomes renewable energy and adds the climate change is a “massive threat to food security” and in creating global conflict.
Councillor Healy thanked the two opposition group leaders for “maintaining that cross-party consensus”.
