Column by the leader of South Gloucestershire Council, Toby Savage.

In South Gloucestershire we know that securing our economic recovery, creating jobs and protecting our environment and climate all go hand in hand. They cannot be separate aims.

Last weekend, the UN secretary general, António Guterres, urged governments around the world to declare a state of climate emergency until the world reached net zero CO2 emissions.

At least 38 countries have already declared a state of climate emergency and the UK was one of the first in the world to do so and has continued to lead the way on the international stage. We made our own declaration in South Gloucestershire in July 2019, and since then we have made sure progress has matched rhetoric.

Our achievements include:

• New schools at Frenchay, Winterbourne and Lyde Green designed to higher environmental standards

• Construction on the Cribbs Patchway Metrobus Extension is now well underway

• A new flagship electric vehicle charging hub at Bristol and Bath Science Park with 10 chargers, alongside more charging points in council car parks

• Extra support for residents to access the Government’s Green Homes Grant

• Trials of nature friendly approaches to managing verges on the highway

• New Local Plan out for consultation that includes strong Climate Emergency policies embedded within new developments

• Regional Renewable Energy Study: work on the study has begun to identify renewable energy opportunities across the area

• Joint working with the West of England Combined Authority as it has developed its Climate Emergency Action Plan

• Nationally taking a leadership role by signing the revised UK100 declaration and, through membership of the Countryside Climate Network and the UK 100 Cities Network, informing the national policy direction.

Looking ahead to the next year, the UK will host the Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow in November. It will be a pivotal year for action, and we intend to reflect that in our work in South Gloucestershire.

We will embed climate emergency principles into Covid-19 recovery work. Although the global pandemic has radically changed the ways we work and live, the urgency of the climate challenge has not dimmed.

Our Local Strategic Partnership members have signed a joint statement of intent, reaffirming our commitment to joint working across the area. This will tackle the climate emergency and the nature crisis. Signatories include Airbus, Avon Fire and Rescue Service, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group, The University of the West of England, CVS South Gloucestershire, Southern Brooks Partnership and The Care Forum.

We will increasingly focus on the needs of council services and operations, and enabling the wider community, to adapt to the local impacts of a changing climate. Our climate emergency work will include initiatives around biodiversity, habitat and nature recovery.

Above all, we want to bring improvements in public health and community cohesion, new jobs, restoration of the natural environment and improvements in the life chances of our children.

We look forward to working with our whole community to achieve benefits for all, including generations to come.