Archived decisions
CLIMATE CHANGE COMMISSION
1. At the County Council meeting on 23 November 2006 the Leader of the County Council
announced that he planned to set up a Commission of Inquiry into climate change. Every
Member of the County Council was invited to engage and contribute to the considerations of the
inquiry through seminars and working groups.
2. All Members were invited to a Sustainability seminar on 28 February 2007 and Climate
Change seminar on 28 March 2007, at which the proposed terms of reference and agenda for the
Commission were discussed.
3. Subsequently, on 5 April 2007 the Executive Member for Policy and Resources approved the proposal for the establishment of a Climate Change Commission together with the proposed terms of reference, timetable and reporting arrangements.
4. The Climate Change Commission will examine how Hampshire can adapt to become more resilient to the social, economic and environmental impacts of climate change. It will do this by considering evidence from a wide range of sources, learning from good practice around the world and focusing on what the County Council, and its partners can do to help Hampshire address climate change.
5. The Commission is to look at prioritising what the County Council should be doing now to prepare for the inevitable climate change impacts, and what practical steps can be taken to adapt to a changing climate, while not forgetting long term actions to stem the impacts of climate change. In areas where the County Council has direct responsibility it will make recommendations for future actions and priorities, and in other areas, it will be looking to influence partners, Government and other responsible bodies to act on the County Council's concerns.
6. Since the decision was taken to establish the Commission a number of further developments have occurred. Firstly, in response to Members interest in two films which put forward radically different views on the causes and response to Climate Change, the Director of Environment has arranged for private screenings for Members of both films. The Al Gore film "An Inconvenient Truth" will be screened on 21 June 2007 and the Channel Four documentary "The Great Climate Change Swindle" will be screened on 28 June 2007. Both films will be shown in the late afternoon, at the Records Office Cinema.
7. The Director of Environment has also committed to a further opportunity for County Council Members to discuss Climate Change Adaptation issues as a further input to the Commission's work. A whole Council seminar and workshop has now been arranged for the afternoon of 8 October 2007 for this event.
8. The Commission will be Chaired by the Leader of the County Council, with the Executive Member for Environment as Vice-Chairman and the leaders of the opposition parties completing the County Council's membership. The Director of Environment has also invited a representative of the County Council's Futures Group to join the Commission. A number of external Commissioners have also confirmed their acceptance of the invitation to join :
Professor Joy Carter Vice Chancellor, University of Winchester
Peter Dower Head of Strategic Exposure Management, Zurich Financial Services (UKISA) Ltd
Jay Andrews BBC (South)
Dougal Driver GOSE (Defra Representative)
Arrangements are also in hand to involve the Youth Parliament in the Commission work.
9. Climate change is considered to be a major challenge to the future prosperity and quality of life in Hampshire, and as part of the County Council's commitment to a safe and secure Hampshire, the Council must look ahead and plan for its impacts. The Commission
arrangements proposed are considered to represent a practical, efficient and timely mechanism to address key climate challenges, and will report back to the County Council in November. In areas where the County Council has direct responsibility it will make recommendations for future actions and priorities, in other areas, it will be looking to influence partners, Government and other responsible bodies to act on the County Council's
concerns.