On 26 June 2019 in accordance with Standing Order 31.1 Council referred a motion motion, proposed by Councillor Coombes, to the Executive. The following motion (amended from the original) was passed at the Executive meeting on 26th August 2019.

The Executive:-
(1) recognised that climate change is an emergency and noted
the urgent need for action to address existing negative
impacts such as extreme weather, fires, droughts, floods and
loss of habitat and indeed species. The Executive
understands the impact of Global Warming and the
enormous harm that a 2 degrees centigrade average rise in
global temperatures is likely to cause, compared with a 1.5
degrees centigrade rise;
(2) agreed to declare a Climate Emergency immediately and to
continue with the excellent work already underway in Falkirk
Council and push towards increasing our efforts to reduce
our carbon emissions to net zero by 2030, while making
Grangemouth our first carbon neutral town;
(3) noted that the Council would continue to embed climate
change throughout the organisation via our Corporate
Sustainability Working Group, accompanied with raising
climate change to a ‘high’ level within our corporate risk
register;
(4) agreed to create a network of climate champions throughout
the organisational structure and in partnership with Elected
Members. This would be complemented by our Climate Week
itinerary, which would see the climate change team run
several workshops and activities across the second week in
October. These would be themed around areas of our carbon
footprint to increase awareness within the organisation of
the impact that we as a Council make;
(5) requested a review, with the aim of establishing meaningful
carbon reduction targets aligned with the Scottish
Government’s ambitious targets which would aid the Council
in achieving net zero. Targets would also be reviewed by
Service area to ensure a whole organisational approach;
(6) noted the undertaking of large scale actions to reduce the
carbon impact within the Falkirk area through the Growth
and Investment Deal which would look at energy and carbon
reduction projects;
(7) noted the continued development of our suite of projects
aimed at reducing the Council’s carbon impact;
(8) noted the focus on increasing Biodiversity through our aim
to plant 40,000 new trees and our peat bog restoration
project within the area, to mitigate our climate impact and
improve air quality;
(9) requested a review of how the climate is changing for the
Falkirk area and the development of a strategy on how the
Council can help adapt our services and spaces to ensure
that the Council area remains a pleasant place to live, work
and visit, and
(10) requested that the Director of Development Services provide
information on what actions the Council is taking in relation
to climate change and what information can be promoted to
individuals. The information to be presented either within a
report on the Economic Partnership and Growth Deal or as a
standalone item.