The South East Climate Alliance has joined forces with 12 other climate action networks from across England to urge the Government to build statutory duties on climate and nature into the Devolution White Paper currently under discussion in Parliament, so they are embedded at the heart of the new devolution framework from the outset. This initiative emerged as a ‘Call to Action’ at the recent SECA Annual Gathering on February 1st, and received enthusiastic backing from other climate networks across the country when we approached them to be co-signatories. Here is the text of our letter to Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister, and Jim McMahon, the Minister responsible for devolution. A press release can be found here.
English Devolution White Paper, Power and Partnership: Foundations for Growth
Call for Statutory Duties on Climate and Nature
To: Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government; Jim McMahon OBE MP Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution
Cc: Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Net Zero; Toby Perkins MP, Chair of Environmental Audit Committee
12th February, 2025
Dear Angela Rayner and Jim McMahon,
This letter has been initiated by the South East Climate Alliance and comes with the support of 13 climate networks from across England. Together we represent hundreds of community, environment and faith groups, all of them working for climate and nature in their local area.
We welcome the inclusion of environment and climate change in the Devolution White Paper, but we believe a crucial opportunity is being lost. Without statutory duties, Strategic Authorities will lack the mandate, resources, and accountability necessary to drive climate action effectively.
The climate and nature crises pose serious risks to economic growth and infrastructure resilience. Climate, nature, transport, spatial planning and health must be addressed together in integrated strategic planning.
To ensure meaningful progress, we urge the Government to establish statutory duties for climate and nature at the Strategic Authority level
Our key recommendations are:
- Statutory Climate and Nature Duties for Strategic Authorities
Strategic Authorities should have a duty to produce a Climate and Nature Strategy and Plan alongside the duties already proposed to produce a Local Growth Plan (2.3.1) and a Spatial Development Strategy (3.5).
- Climate and Nature Outcomes in the Settlement Framework
The Integrated Settlement Outcomes Framework (5.1.1) should include stringent, ambitious and measurable Climate and Nature outcomes.
- Incorporating Climate and Nature Data into Decision-Making
Climate and Nature Data should be included in the data produced by the proposed Mayoral Data Council (2.3.4) to aid investment and planning.
- Embedding a “Climate and Nature in All Policies” Approach
Just as Strategic Authorities will promote a “health in all policies” approach (3.8), they should also be expected to ensure a “climate and nature in all policies” approach with these considerations embedded across all functions. This would have regard to the need to reduce emissions, look for climate mitigation and adaptation opportunities and replenish nature in the exercise of all their functions.
- Coordinated Action Between Strategic Authorities and Unitary Councils
The duty to produce a Climate and Nature Strategy should be accompanied by a requirement on a Strategic Authority together with its unitary councils to create a co-ordinated action plan. The plan should achieve a clear emission reduction trajectory, increase renewable generation and enhance biodiversity. Performance should be monitored and reported at all levels against the plan both to Government and local people.
- Strengthening Community Engagement
Much of the success in tackling climate change and nature restoration depends on local engagement. Community, environmental, and faith groups play a vital role in driving awareness and action. As local governance structures shift towards unitary councils, there is a risk that the relationships built between borough/district councils and local climate groups may be lost.
We urge that new governance arrangements include the requirement to build structured and systematic partnerships with community-led climate and nature initiatives.
Conclusion
Embedding climate and nature duties within devolution frameworks is essential for securing sustainable growth and resilient communities. We urge you to seize this opportunity and ensure that the new governance structures emerging from the Devolution White Paper put climate and nature at the heart of strategic decision-making.
Thank you for your attention,
Sally Barnard, Chris Holloway
South East Climate Alliance
The South East Climate Alliance is an alliance over 140 environment, community and faith groups from across the South East uniting for urgent action on climate and nature. Its membership is drawn from East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Surrey and Kent
Co-signatories:
Bedfordshire Climate Change Forum
Bristol Climate and Nature Partnership
Climate Action Network West Midlands
Cumbria Sustainability Network
Hampshire Climate Action Network
Oxfordshire Climate Action Network
South Yorkshire Climate Alliance
Notes:
A helpful briefing document on the Devolution White Paper produced by Hampshire Climate Action Network can be found here