We Newport City Council call upon Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity to:
1. Take strong and bold actions to bring about transformative change, as outlined in the IPBES global assessment report, in order to halt biodiversity loss.
2. Recognise the vital role of subnational governments, cities and local authorities, in delivering the 2050 vision of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, and the 2030 mission as set out in the Zero Draft document; and to explicitly place that recognition throughout the framework text, including the monitoring framework for the goals and targets.
3. Support the adoption at COP15, of a new dedicated Decision for the greater inclusion of subnational governments, cities and local authorities within the post-2020 global biodiversity framework; that builds upon and renews the Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities for Biodiversity (2011-2020) as endorsed under Decision X/22; and that significantly raises ambition for subnational, city and local implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework throughout the next decade.
4. Establish a multi-stakeholder platform that ensures representation of subnational governments, cities and local authorities to support the implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.
We, Newport City Council stand ready to meet the challenge of delivering, alongside Parties, the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, and play a stronger role in the implementation of the framework through a renewed and significantly stepped-up Plan of Action for subnational governments, cities and local authorities for the coming decade, and
That this Council resolves to support the Edinburgh declaration on biodiversity and authorises the Leader to sign the declaration on behalf of the Council.
Motion to be moved by Councillor Mudd and seconded by Councillor Hughes.
Minutes:
The Leader Presented the following Motion to colleagues and reserved her right to speak later in the debate:
We Newport City Council call upon Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity to:
1. Take strong and bold actions to bring about transformative change, as outlined in the IPBES global assessment report, in order to halt biodiversity loss.
2. Recognise the vital role of subnational governments, cities and local authorities, in delivering the 2050 vision of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, and the 2030 mission as set out in the Zero Draft document; and to explicitly place that recognition throughout the framework text, including the monitoring framework for the goals and targets.
3. Support the adoption at COP15, of a new dedicated Decision for the greater inclusion of subnational governments, cities and local authorities within the post-2020 global biodiversity framework; that builds upon and renews the Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities for Biodiversity (2011-2020) as endorsed under Decision X/22; and that significantly raises ambition for subnational, city and local implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework throughout the next decade.
4. Establish a multi-stakeholder platform that ensures representation of subnational governments, cities and local authorities to support the implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.
We, Newport City Council stand ready to meet the challenge of delivering, alongside Parties, the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, and play a stronger role in the implementation of the framework through a renewed and significantly stepped-up Plan of Action for subnational governments, cities and local authorities for the coming decade, and
That this Council resolves to support the Edinburgh declaration on biodiversity and authorises the Leader to sign the declaration on behalf of the Council.
The motion was seconded by Councillor Hughes, who also reserved his right to speak.
No amendments were proposed.
Comments on the motion from Councillors:
§ Councillor Lacey informed colleagues that as the cities biodiversity champion it would be remiss of her not to speak in support of this motion today.
Newport was rich in both marine and terrestrial ecosystems and as elected members of this city it was their duty to do all they could to protect them.
Whilst the work carried out to make Newport a bee friendly city was vast and very successful it was not enough on its own.
The Council needed to work collaboratively with others to protect and enhance biodiversity, sharing best practice across these regions and taking forward bold and innovative action which would result in mutually beneficial outcomes for generations to come.
§ Councillor Truman supported the motion to improve and preserve the environment.
§ Councillor Whitehead supported the motion and agreed that biodiversity was very important and mentioned the increased reporting of Himalayan balsam that strangled the brook in Bettws and hoped that this would be addressed as part of this motion.
§ Councillor M Evans informed colleagues that the Conservative group would support this motion, as well as supporting previous council initiatives such as the Bee Friendly motion that was brought to Council previously. Councillors needed to sing from same hymn sheet to tackle climate change at local level and should therefore support biodiversity like the rest of the world. Councillor M Evans therefore supported the motion.
§ Councillor Hughes advised that this motion shared our deep concern about the significant implications that the loss of biodiversity and climate change had on our livelihoods and communities and that it impacted on every aspect of our lives.
Already we could see the impact almost daily on news headlines.
The world response thus far has been insufficient we must not look back at missed opportunities following Glasgow as happened with Paris.
By passing this motion the Council acknowledged that it must build on the good work already being done in the region by the Welsh Government, Councils and community groups.
In Newport we were determined and ambitious to address these difficult challenges and not pass on problems we had created to our children.
Newport’s ambitions must be green because we had no other choice. If our children were to avoid having their futures dominated and blighted by the negative impact of climate change.
We depended on nature for our health, happiness and prosperity. Protecting our natural environment meant preserving it for our future generations and must maintain a healthy ecosystem and healthy environment.
The Gwent Levels that acted as a lung for our region. Life there was coming back to favourable standards thanks to amazing work by the Levels Board, RPSB and volunteers. 27km of open field ditches were restored and rarer species of wildlife was returning like the shrill carder bee.
Councillor Hughes asked colleagues to support this motion in their capacity as community leaders to put the environment first. As a united Council we could show that we cared and that we were positive about transforming and saving our natural environments.
§ The Leader thanked all colleagues speaking in support of the motion. Some examples of the ongoing work with support from partnerships across the city included PSB, Lysachts Community Garden, Woodland Roots, Green and Safe Spaces Network, Green Caerleon, Maindee Unlimited, Pride in Betws and many other groups across the city. Communities were working hard to maintain the biodiversity within Newport. It was critical that we continued this hard work and why the motion was essential to do in order to maintain this. The WG was the first parliament in the world to declare a nature emergency. The Leader shared a letter with colleagues from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, which commended the council on their contribution to maintaining the bee habitat within Newport. There were so many actions that Newport residents could take as well as a strategic commitment, which would go far into the future.
Resolved:
The Motion was unanimously carried.