Walsall Council has come under fire from a national environmental campaign group after voting to scrap its climate emergency declaration, a move described as 'yet more virtue signalling' at a time when climate action is urgently needed.
Council votes to remove climate pledge
At a full council meeting on July 27, Reform leaders successfully pushed through a motion to remove the 2019 declaration, which had committed the authority to taking action against global warming. The pledge was branded 'virtue signalling' by those who supported its removal, who argued it had failed to deliver tangible benefits for local taxpayers.
The decision was led by Councillor Elaine Williams and Councillor Nicky Barker, who described the original commitment as performative. They argued that the council's limited resources should be focused on practical outcomes rather than symbolic gestures.
Climate Emergency UK responds
However, Climate Emergency UK, a campaign group that audits local authorities on their climate action, has strongly criticised the move. Isaac Beevor, partnerships director for the group, said that scrapping climate targets during a period of extreme weather was 'extreme and yet more virtue signalling'.
Mr Beevor pointed to the ongoing fourth major heatwave of the summer, with fires raging across the UK, France, and Europe, as evidence that now is not the time to weaken commitments. He said: "Scrapping climate targets during a fourth major heatwave and as fires rage across the UK, France and Europe, is extreme and yet more virtue signalling."
Walsall's poor climate record
The criticism comes as Walsall Council's efforts to achieve net zero have been rated poorly. In Climate Emergency UK's most recent audit of local authorities, the council scored just 23 per cent, a figure Mr Beevor described as 'miserable'.
He attributed this low score to a lack of political will and insufficient national support, rather than a lack of potential. "Walsall Council lows in the scorecards because there hasn't been the political will and national support to take further climate action," he said.
Call to redouble efforts
Mr Beevor urged the council to reconsider its decision, arguing that climate action brings direct benefits to residents. "This isn't the time to scrap targets, it is the time to redouble our efforts so we can cut bills for residents, clean the air and make our local communities stronger and safer," he added.
The campaign group's stance is that removing the declaration undermines the council's credibility and sets a dangerous precedent for other local authorities.
Council defends decision
In response, Councillor Elaine Williams defended the move, stating that a climate emergency declaration is not the only way to make progress. She emphasised the importance of delivering tangible outcomes that improve everyday life for Walsall residents.
"What matters most is delivering tangible outcomes that improve everyday life for the people of Walsall and focusing our limited resources where they are most needed," she said.
The council's decision has sparked debate among residents and environmental groups, with some supporting the focus on practical measures and others concerned about the signal it sends regarding the council's commitment to tackling climate change.
