By Eniola Amadu
Plans by Reform UK to revoke a climate emergency declaration in Kent have drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, who warn the move would undermine efforts to address the risks of global warming.
Kent county council, one of 10 English county councils won outright by Reform UK in this year’s local elections, is due to debate the motion.
The draft resolution states that the 2019 climate emergency declaration will be rescinded because it has been “stifling debate.”
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Instead, the council leadership is proposing to replace its 2030 net zero target with what it calls an “energy efficiency plan focused on financial returns,” while exploring new revenue opportunities.
Opponents, however, argue that Kent faces some of the most severe climate threats in the country.
Green party councillor Stuart Jeffery said the county is already severely water-stressed and is at risk from future heatwaves, sea-level rises and new diseases linked to changing weather patterns.
He noted that a recent council report projected a potential 6C temperature rise and an 80cm increase in sea levels for Kent.
“Yet Reform want to close their eyes to this disaster, a disaster that will kill many people and destroy communities. This is most definitely an emergency,” Jeffery said.
Liberal Democrat councillor and group leader Antony Hook also condemned the proposal, calling it an “act of political vandalism.”
He cited the record-breaking dry summer that left farmers struggling and vulnerable groups at risk, adding that Reform UK’s stance ignored the long-term economic and social costs of climate change.
“They call sensible, evidence-based plans ‘expensive virtue-signalling’, but the reality is they are the ones peddling a dangerous and costly fantasy,” Hook said.
“Their approach would leave our residents with higher energy bills, our communities more vulnerable to flooding, and our local economy lagging behind in the green jobs revolution.”
The draft motion also outlines plans to lobby the UK government to designate Dungeness, home to two decommissioned nuclear stations, as a potential site for a small nuclear reactor.
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It further proposes working with water companies to clean up rivers and seas, developing a long-term water resource plan, and investing in drainage systems to limit flood risks.
However, Kent county council and Reform UK have not yet issued an official response to the criticisms.
