Council leader Cllr Mike Ross signing the Environmental Policy Statement 2022
Council leader Cllr Mike Ross signing the Environmental Policy Statement 2022

City leaders sign up to new environmental pledge

Councillor Mike Ross, Leader of Hull City Council, and Chief Executive Matt Jukes have signed a new statement of the council’s commitment to protecting the environment for future generations.

The council’s new Environmental Policy Statement underlines its bold environmental commitment and brings it into line with its declaration to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 and net zero by 2040 – making a significant local contribution towards combating climate change.

The statement sets out Hull City Council’s bold commitment to:

  • minimise waste and recycle more
  • make its vehicles cleaner and greener
  • protect parks and open spaces as vital areas of biodiversity
  • build environmental considerations into its planning and construction policies
  • improve air and water quality
  • consider the environmental impact of what the council buys in goods and services.

The policy statement is a requirement of the council’s environmental management system (Investors in the Environment), an important part of purchasing and commissioning, as well as supporting funding bids by the council.

The Hull City Council Environmental Policy Statement 2022 is available here.

Cllr Ross said: “Today, we are restating the council’s strong commitment to ensuring that everything we do takes into consideration how we can minimise damage to the environment and make our city and council more sustainable for the longer term.

“Never has the effect of climate change been more keenly felt than this summer – with the exceptionally hot weather over the past few months, culminating in today’s introduction of a hosepipe ban by Yorkshire Water.

“We are determined to work with everyone in the city to improve our environment for the longer term, and for our city to play its part in tackling climate change. This new policy statement is evidence of that commitment.”

Full Council declared a climate emergency in April 2019.

A man filling a watering can from an outside tap during a hosepipe ban in the UK
Hull City Council leader Cllr Mike Ross with Ron Wilkinson, chair of Stand, looking at the plans at St Andrew's Quay