Cambridge City Council has written to the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, as well as Daniel Zeichner MP and Pippa Heylings MP to express the council’s support for the Climate and Nature Bill.

This came after the council passed a motion at the Annual Council Meeting at the end of May 2024.

In the letter the council called on the Prime Minister to upgrade the bill to a government bill instead of a private members’ bill to reflect its national importance and maximise the bills impact if passed. Daniel Zeichner MP and Pippa Heylings MP were asked to sign up to support the bill.

The Climate and Nature Bill is aimed at addressing the climate crisis. If the bill is passed it would mean that the UK would be required to achieve specific climate and nature targets. A strategy to meet these targets would have to be implemented – the strategy would be created with the support of a Climate and Nature Assembly.

In the bill, it notes that humans have already caused irreversible climate change, with impacts being felt nationally and across the globe. In addition, the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world.

This bill is being championed by Zero Hour, to which the council has also written to express its support.

The council has its own goals for what it would like the city to achieve, most notably for the city to be net zero carbon by 2030. Tackling climate change is one of the top priorities for the council – in 2019, the council declared a climate emergency.

The council continues to deliver on its Climate Change Strategy as it leads the city’s response to climate change with the support of residents and partners. Whilst Cambridge works together to reach its local targets, there is a desire to see more support and stricter policies that guide the nation down the right path to tackle climate change.