A NEW strategy to ensure Wirral plays its role in global efforts to tackle unnatural climate change has been backed by the council.

Cool 2 was developed by The Cool Wirral Partnership taking account of the latest global agreements and related scientific reports about climate change.

It sets out the changes needed to stop climate change and highlights how communities can be better prepared for its impacts.

For Wirral to play its part in the global effort, local CO2 emissions need to reduce by three and a half times more each year than has been achieved so far.

The strategy also that the borough needs to:

  • Cut energy waste
  • Shift to clean energy sources for heat and power
  • Eliminate petrol and diesel use for local travel
  • Reduce waste
  • Make changes to diets
  • Increase tree coverage and woodlands

Peter Owen, chair of The Cool Wirral Partnership said: "The strategy calls for people and organisations to back its aims and objectives and help identify their own actions to support these.

"I am pleased that Wirral Council is supportive of the strategy.

"Everyone in Wirral, whether families and residents, businesses, schools and community or faith groups can all play their part."

Early steps have already been taken to help meet strategy objectives supporting businesses, schools, places of worship and community groups to develop their own action plans.

The new strategy was endorsed by Wirral Council before the global COVID-19 pandemic began to impact the UK.

Since then, many people have had to adopt changes such as home working, which has knock-on benefits for the environment.

Bryan Lipscombe, Wirral Council's sustainability liaison officer, said: "Some of the changes to reduce car use, increase walking and cycling and increase the use of technology for business have had benefits for the environment

"Early evidence* suggests that many people would like these benefits to continue.

"The climate crisis presents a huge challenge and one that we need to face together. The new strategy is an important and timely local response and I am pleased to say the council is very much on board."

A recent survey for the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce found that 85 per cent of people would like to see some of the benefits continue.