1. The climate emergency should be an explicit and integral consideration in all local authority decision making.
Baines, Brad – Labour & Co-operative
Strongly agree
The Climate Emergency necessitates this. If we are to live in a healthier and a sustainable world – we can’t afford to do this when the environmental situation requires systemic change.
Bowkett, David – Liberal Democrat
Strongly agree
This a pressing global challenge and must be a priority for all levels of government.
Young, Nuala – Green
Strongly agree
We have nearly reached the point of no return. It is truly a Climate Emergency and the central government is not taking any real action . All the more reason to act effectively at a local level. There is a lot we can do locally while continuing to lobby the national government.
2. I support the Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE) Bill
Baines, Brad – Labour & Co-operative
Agree
Bowkett, David – Liberal Democrat
Strongly agree
We must transition to a carbon neutral society and the burden of any change must not fall on the poorest in society.
Young, Nuala – Green
Strongly agree
I have been part of XR groups in lobbying the government and our MP to support this Bill and in lobbying our Council to declare support for it.
3. Motorised traffic in and through Oxford should be reduced 50% below present levels by 2030, to limit air pollution and increase space for cyclists and pedestrians.
Baines, Brad – Labour & Co-operative
Agree
Transportation reform must always be accessible and inclusive for the most vulnerable in our society and their transport needs. A better future cannot include discrimination.
Bowkett, David – Liberal Democrat
Strongly agree
Perhaps we need a more ambitious target than a 50% reduction? Reducing car traffic will have benefits for carbon emissions, air quality, and road safety. It will allow buses to run smoothly and serve more routes. Electric cars are not the answer, but we shouldn’t rule out a role for smart road pricing technology or other advanced transport technologies.
Young, Nuala – Green
Strongly agree
As.a City Councillor I noticed and communicated to the press and other councillors that the air in Oxford breached the European pollution level limits. Our roads need to be safer for cyclists. I have been knocked off my bike by a car door and often terrified by cars passing too close. It would be wonderful to be able to breathe fresh air and walk and cycle at ease in our city.
4. Development decisions (planning and housing) should design out car-dependency and facilitate the creation of 15 minute neighbourhoods, where residents can access all daily goods and services within a 15 minute walk.
Baines, Brad – Labour & Co-operative
Strongly agree
The County Council as the transport authority needs to be doing more to support the ambitious environmental planning policies of the Labour-led City Council
Bowkett, David – Liberal Democrat
Strongly agree
Well-planned housing developments are key to phasing out private car use. I sadly note that the Labour city council has maintained a ratio of 1 parking space per home for new developments in Rose Hill and plans to do the same for the Meadow Lane development in Iffley. This is a missed opportunity to promote car-free living.
Young, Nuala – Green
Strongly agree
It is good for our sense of well being and mental health to live in a community where we don’t have the stress of travelling long distances for our daily needs.
5. All new homes built in Oxfordshire should be built to zero carbon standards.
Baines, Brad – Labour & Co-operative
Agree
This is a great ambition and it is great to have seen Labour-led Oxford City Council leading the way with building the City’s first zero carbon council homes.
Bowkett, David – Liberal Democrat
Strongly agree
We should embrace new technologies (heat pumps) for heating homes and ensure that homes are designed to stay cool in hot weather, which is likely to be more frequent and severe due to climate change.
Young, Nuala – Green
Strongly agree
This is now possible and necessary if we are to reduce our emissions locally and nationally .
6. Local authorities should introduce policies and measures to enable all homes in Oxford and Oxfordshire to achieve an EPC rating of C or higher by 2035.
Baines, Brad – Labour & Co-operative
Agree
Labour is ensuring that £50m is being invested to ensure all council homes are of a high energy efficiency. Where financially sustainable, schemes should be supported to allow private properties to achieve these standards. Central Government funding is probably necessary to achieve this – especially in an era of Tory austerity.
Bowkett, David – Liberal Democrat
Strongly agree
The council should look to enable and incentivise home owners and private landlords to make necessary changes, whilst driving improvements in its own housing stock. Changes should be incentivised and enabled, but I would aim to avoid forcing compulsory changes.
Young, Nuala – Green
Because this really is a Climate Emergency we have to act on all fronts and include our existing housing stock.
7. Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council should introduce policies that support the installation of renewable energy sources.
Baines, Brad – Labour & Co-operative
Strongly agree
Bowkett, David – Liberal Democrat
Strongly agree
I would like to add the caveat that the renewable energy sources should be sustainable themselves. We don’t want a mountain of impossible to recycle solar panels in 15 years; time.
Young, Nuala – Green
Strongly agree
Renewable Energy is the only way forward to save our planet. There have been days when our energy needs already were adequately supplied by renewables so their potential is real. Since the national government is not committing to really supporting renewables we need to act locally to support the provision of renewable energy locally.
8. Local authorities should use every available mechanism (including the planning system, grants and others), and support and enable innovation, to phase out fossil fuel use across Oxford, including domestic, business and industrial use as well as use in their own buildings and operations.
Baines, Brad – Labour & Co-operative
Strongly agree
Bowkett, David – Liberal Democrat
Strongly agree
Both innovation and adoption of new technologies should be supported. The covid-19 vaccine has shown how innovations from our city can have a great impact on major global challenges.
Young, Nuala – Green
Strongly agree
We have to act on all fronts to significantly cut down on our carbon footprint .
9. The creation, protection and restoration of biodiversity and green spaces for all should be a priority for local authorities including the development of a Nature Recovery Network.
Baines, Brad – Labour & Co-operative
Agree
Improving biodiversity is not a static process. It is great to see Labour-led Oxford City Council taking proactive measures to improve the biodiversity in our existing public spaces – through 7000 new trees, planting wild flowers and protecting existing habitats.
Bowkett, David – Liberal Democrat
Strongly agree
Young, Nuala – Green
Strongly agree
I have campaigned over the last few years against the erosion of our Green Belt because of the recently adopted Oxford Local Plan. In particular I have been trying to protect a field that is part of Oxford’s biodiversity corridor and found that most Nature Organisations have had their budgets cut and have been disempowered.It would be great to have a Nature Recovery network.
10. As Oxfordshire County Council candidate, I support the doubling of tree cover in Oxfordshire by 2045; AND/OR: As Oxford City Council candidate, I support Oxford making a significant contribution to doubling tree cover in Oxfordshire by 2045.
Baines, Brad – Labour & Co-operative
Strongly agree
Glad to see Labour has ensured Oxford City Council is committed to doing their share of this locally. We need that ambition for the whole county.
Bowkett, David – Liberal Democrat
Strongly agree
Young, Nuala – Green
Strongly agree
My son and I have planted 100 trees over the past decade and our oak tree is already 20 ft. Trees are essential in the overall urgent move to reduce carbon levels. It would be good to plant micro woods within the city and suburbs and I would like to see a large wood in the fields between South and North Hinksey.
11. Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council should introduce policies that support the development of a food system which promotes local production and use of agro-ecological methods (ie sustainable farming methods that work with nature).
Baines, Brad – Labour & Co-operative
Agree
Bowkett, David – Liberal Democrat
Agree
Farming and food production should be designed to minimise carbon footprint and impacts on nature. This doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be local. Global innovation and trade is important to meeting climate challenges.
Young, Nuala – Green
Strongly agree
It is sad and worrying to witness how sterile the Countryside is becoming with loss of birds and pollinators because of the use of pesticides in industrial agriculture.
12. Finally, in 100 words or less, please describe what you plan to contribute to ensuring a green and just recovery in Oxford/ Oxfordshire.
Baines, Brad – Labour & Co-operative
We need climate and ecological mainstreaming in all policy making. All decisions made within the County Council should cut our carbon footprint and improve our local environment. For the County Council key amongst its roles must be supporting easy and safe active travel and inclusive and affordable sustainable transportation. Public service procurement and those of contractors needs to prioritise supporting the local green economy. Oxfordshire’s waste disposal also needs greening. The County Council must also realise its Labour secured commitment of becoming carbon neutral by at least 2030 and divest all assets and pension funds from carbon-intensive industries.
Bowkett, David – Liberal Democrat
I believe that encouraging people to make sustainable choices is key to tackling climate change. In Oxford, this should mean ensuring people’s homes are heated efficiently and encouraging use of active and public transport.
Young, Nuala – Green
I think you have already set a good agenda for me in your questionnaire. I want to see a halt to indiscriminate house building. Every new house produces 100 tonnes of carbon in being built. Instead I would like to see the re-generation in as carbon free way as possible of old office and shop buildings into accommodation. Zero Carbon Affordable and Social Housing could be built at the West End near the City Centre and Nature Parks with easy access to both City facilities and the Countryside. A forest and lake/marina between South and North Hinksey could offset carbon and provide wonderful leisure opportunities so that people don’t feel they have to travel elsewhere for enjoyment. For the same reason we need to act to insure the river is unpolluted and people can swim maybe in rejuvenated former bathing spots like Long bridges, Wolvercote and Tumbling Bay.
