As York and North Yorkshire mayoral candidates dash around the region making last-minute efforts to win more votes ahead of the vote on 2 May, their environmental priorities and climate commitments came under the microscope.
Unfortunately, only three of the mayoral candidates have responded to Yorkshire Bylines’ questions at the time of writing, although adequate provision was given in terms of a deadline.
Climate priorities
All the responding candidates stressed the need for urgent action to address the climate emergency. Kevin Foster, the candidate for the Green Party, stated: “Climate change and biodiversity loss are, in my view, the biggest long-term threats to our way of life, to our coastlines and to our food supply systems. If we don’t take urgent action, young people and future generations are going to pay a very heavy price for our selfish neglect.”
Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, for the Liberal Democrats, said that facing the climate crisis would be at the centre of her policies: “The Climate Change Committee warns that the government’s ‘current strategy will not deliver net zero’ – I will place the climate crisis at the centre of all my policies. My manifesto vision is for the region to achieve its carbon zero target, be biodiverse and sustainable and for all residents to live in a low carbon home that they can afford.”
Keith Tordoff, standing as an Independent candidate, commented that: “If elected Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, protecting the environment and biodiversity will be a priority to deliver for the people of the County. I will champion and be an ambassador for the environment and biodiversity working with experts.”
How would York and North Yorkshire achieve its climate goals?
When asked about the climate measures to be adopted to achieve these aims, the candidates laid out their visions.
Foster argued that he would push to achieve net zero as soon as possible, as well as creating a circular economy. “I want to see York and North Yorkshire get to net zero as soon as possible. That includes tackling transport emissions while we reform and improve public transport, it means building or upgrading homes so they use less energy and are cheaper to run, and it means supporting investment in businesses that are serious about reducing their carbon footprint.”
Cunliffe-Lister focused on active travel and transport plans. “I will improve the active travel provision, to enable more people to walk and cycle more and drive fewer miles.”
She promised that she would “lobby at Westminster and with the rail operators for improvements and upgrades to the stations in the region and for the timetable enhancements that we are due following the East Coast upgrade in 2022. This will enable more passengers to use the trains to reduce emissions and the bus timetable will also connect with train arrivals and departures.”
She also commented on the need to support the resourcing of community-owned energy, by “supporting the installation of off-grid wind, hydro, ground source and solar community power and heat hubs”.
Tordoff focused on training, qualifications and retrofitting of homes as his key climate pledge. “I will establish ‘green colleges’ to enable training and provide skills to deliver on climate and environmental projects. New buildings will all be required to have solar panels in their roofs and have insulation that is mould resistant. Training will be offered to those without qualifications to learn how to retrofit older properties with insulation and solar panels. New buildings and fully insulated retrofit properties will have ground source heat pumps.”
Financial cost of these commitments
None of the candidates mentioned any financial cost related to their climate plans, nor how much of the budget has already been earmarked for projects.
The combined authority budget outlines the short-term funding available to the new mayor. “To March 2025, the new combined authority will be in receipt of more than £56mn of funds to invest for the benefit of communities across the region. This includes £12.7mn for housing, to deliver more than 700 new homes on brownfield sites, and a further £10mn to support transition to net zero, unlocking economic opportunity, empowering business growth and creating new and better paid jobs.”
Part of the initial expenses in the first year include the £2.2mn for the mayoral election costs itself. Though it is hoped that “The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority will bring £540mn of new government investment to spend on local priorities” over the next 30 years.
Case study- Ripon Cathedral annex
To test their environment credentials, all candidates were asked their views on the controversial £8mn development plans of Ripon Cathedral to fell healthy urban trees to build an annex building. One of the mayoral candidates was forthright in his views, while the others appeared to hesitate with their views until the decision had been made.
Tordoff, the Independent, commented,“I am aware of the annex plans for Ripon Cathedral which will result in the cutting down of healthy urban trees and a veteran tree. The whole project and plan in my opinion should be scrapped.”
“Green spaces for the public to enjoy are getting less, with the biodiversity being destroyed or displaced with such developments. Cutting down beautiful mature trees is an act of vandalism and no amount of planting new trees elsewhere as an offset is acceptable. The proposed spend for the project of between eight and ten million pounds would be better spent by the church on the homeless, the people unable to heat their homes and having to use food banks.”
Foster, of the Green Party, was more cautious in his comments, urging for time and for Ripon Cathedral to listen more to the city. “The project is clearly controversial and the cathedral has failed to get the backing of the community for a development proposal that would have a big impact on the heart of the historic part of the city.”
“I’ve received quite a lot of correspondence about it and it is easy to understand the concerns of local people. To be fair to the campaigners, it isn’t just about trees they have other concerns. It is good that the cathedral has put their scheme on hold to look at it again and I hope something better and less harmful emerges after the review. They need to listen.”
Of the three candidates who responded, Cunliffe-Lister, for the Liberal Democrats, was the only one to signal her tentative support for the annex development. “I am aware of the cathedral planning application and that it is a controversial issue which needs resolving. I support sustainable economic growth and I also support enhancing the public realm to improve footfall in the city centre and to help vulnerable residents feel safe. The decision to fell trees should not be taken lightly.”
“If the benefits in terms of providing the facilities the cathedral badly needs, and improving the visitor experience and the public realm are significant then felling these trees is the right thing to do – if at the same time the measures to counter the loss of trees, biodiversity and carbon sequestration are commensurate (with tree planting and biodiversity improvement measures). I am aware of concerns about the stability of the land, and I would ensure these are addressed properly. This would be a difficult decision to make but I would support it if this was the case.”
Climate action is needed, not more climate promises
With under two weeks to convince the voters of York and North Yorkshire that voting for them is the most sensible option, the candidates are under pressure to explain exactly how they would achieve the climate pledges that they have promised. Lots of active verbs were used by the candidates, some more meaningful than others, “I want to see York and North Yorkshire get to net zero … ”, “tackling transport emissions”, “supporting investment”, “to improve the active travel provision”, “to lobby at Westminster”, “to drive investment”, and “to support advances in the bio-economy”, without the necessary detail of how this would be achieved.
Europe is now the fastest warming continent on the planet; with temperatures rising at around twice the global average rate, candidates need more than just empty words.
