Sheffield Labour’s world-leading call to decarbonise council spending

Sheffield Labour Councillors have proposed introducing a Net Zero Test across all council spending, to ensure policies across each department align fully with climate goals.

Following the recommendations of the Committee on Climate Change, which proposed that the national Government adopt a ‘Net Zero Test’ to ensure that all government decisions are compatible with the legislated emissions targets, Labour Councillors are looking to implement this world-leading ambition for local spending. This follows the Council commitments to use its spending power to drive ethical standards, ensure businesses that supply the council safeguard against modern slavery and pay their workers the Real Living Wage.

In its manifesto, launched today (25 March 2023), Sheffield Labour set out a proposal for all public procurement to be assessed for its impact on the Council’s 2030 net-zero target, so that no public money is spent on polluting firms.

Labour and Co-operative councillor Minesh Parekh said:

“The climate and ecological emergency will require both urgency and creativity of action from all levels of Government. In proposing a Net Zero Test on public spending, we want to hardwire our emissions targets into every policy passed in Sheffield, to better our efforts to tackle the climate crisis.”

Cllr Minesh Parekh, photo credit: The Climate Coalition
Calls for a Net Zero Test on public spending have also been made by the Trades Union Congress in the run-up to COP26, the UN Climate Summit. In the lead-up to the summit, Sheffield MP Olivia Blake launched her Hallam Citizens’ Climate Manifesto, co-created with constituents over a period of tne months, which also proposed ambitious proposals to decarbonise finance.

Amy Mount, Labour’s council candidate in Graves Park

Commenting on the new commitment to a Net Zero Test for council spending, Amy Mount, the Labour candidate for Graves Park ward, said:

“We are strongly committed to acting on climate and the wider environmental crisis. This is a green thread running through all our manifesto promises, and the Net Zero Test will help to tie them together.

“It will create more transparency, and make sure we take advantage of opportunities to crowd in green private funding to unlock jobs and other co-benefits.”

ENDS

Notes

The Committee on Climate Change recommended in its 2021 Progress Report to Parliament that the national government adopt a “Net Zero Test” to ensure that all government decisions are compatible with the legislated emissions targets. This would avert the risk of policy or planning decisions being made that are incompatible with a Net Zero UK and could blow the Net Zero Strategy off course. The UK government has so far resisted adopting this test.

The environmental charity WWF has similarly called on the UK government to apply a Net Zero Test to all spending and taxation decisions in Budgets. WWF’s research demonstrates that a Net Zero Test can help ensure that government spending protects the planet and builds a green economy, delivering high-quality jobs and shared prosperity.

The full manifest can be found here.