Extinction Rebellion campaigners set up camp for 'vigil' at North Derbyshire council HQ

The 12-hour vigil took place at North East Derbyshire District Council’s offices in Wingerworth exactly a year after the authority declared a ‘Climate Emergency’.

XR campaigners say they would like to see the council ‘taking strides, not tiptoes’, to reflect the emergency of the situation.

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Dr Rebecca Turner from XR Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire, said “The science is constantly evolving and with every new paper published it’s clear action is needed now.

"The annual report from the Committee on Climate has just been released and it states ‘progress does not measure up to meet the size of the Net Zero challenge, fundamentally the UK is not making adequate progress in preparing for climate change.

"It lists priorities that the council should embrace now, such as low-carbon retrofits and buildings that are fit for the future, tree planting, green infrastructure, strengthening energy networks, enabling people to walk, cycle, and work remotely.”

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The group stood for 12 hours on Derby Road on Wednesday, July 8, to highlight ‘the need for the council to take action’.

A samba band drummed home the urgent message and a reflective candlelit vigil mourned the lack of action.

Councillor Jeremy Kenyon, North East Derbyshire District Council’s cabinet member for transformation and climate change, said: “Our guiding principle is: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rethink. The Covid-19 crisis has had a huge impact on our planet, but it has led to extraordinary changes in how we work.

"We as an authority are now embedding this, rethinking commuting, work travel and office use, which at a stroke will exceed incremental improvements from expensively retrofitting old buildings.

“In the last five years, North East Derbyshire District Council has reduced its workspace emissions by 27 per cent. These reductions will continue as we invest in our leisure centres for example to reduce their carbon emissions.”

“Addressing Climate Change is a team effort between councils, the Government, businesses, house builders and the public and there is a rapidly growing momentum amongst all of these, as we work together to reduce our carbon emissions.”

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