There has been some
reaction to the Manchester Green Party response to
reports that Manchester City Council had lied about the results of its Carbon Reduction Report,
spinning an increase in carbon emissions into a 7% reduction. One local
councillor described it as ‘petulant’ while conceding it as accurate.
The report, presented at
the Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Committee on July 16th, under pressure
from ‘Friends of the Earth’, other environmental groups and attending councillors forced the committee to
alter the report to accurately reflect the facts.
What this means is that
the Council’s target of reaching an interim 20% reduction in carbon emissions
by 2013/14 is in disarray and assumption of trust in the council’s reporting of
progress, gone.
It’s a depressing state
of affairs.
You could say ‘It’s a
local council sleight-of-hand, what does it matter?’
In 1992 the historic Rio Earth Summit was held where global
issues of climate and environment were discussed in a meaningful way for the
first time by a significant number of countries.
Following that rousing
event Manchester, in 1994, organised and hosted the follow up event, the Global
Forum. Though it had its problems,
it was aspirational.
Next year will be that
event’s 20 year anniversary.
And in that time the
Council leadership has gone from Global Forum to major airport investor and
‘misrepresenting’ its Carbon Reduction Reports.
It has fallen a long
way.