Islington Council is facing calls to ensure all residents equitably benefit from its climate initiatives, especially considering the borough's limited green space.
At a Council meeting on Thursday, Alastair Harper questioned Councillor Rowena Champion, Executive Member for Environment, Air Quality & Transport, about the measures being implemented to guarantee that the entire community benefits from the council's climate emergency leadership, given that only 13% of Islington is green space. Harper also asked what other strategies were being considered to mitigate the effects of climate change in a densely populated borough like Islington.
Councillor Champion acknowledged the critical need for fairness and resilience in the face of climate change, highlighting Islington's vulnerability as one of the six London boroughs most susceptible to its impacts. She outlined several initiatives aimed at increasing green space, including an ambitious target of adding 1.5 hectares of green space and planting 600 more trees annually than are lost.
It's incredibly important to make sure that all our communities benefit,
said Councillor Champion. She highlighted efforts to understand where greening benefits and opportunities are more limited and the need to find solutions. The council is exploring ways to empower communities by enabling residents to adopt and improve local spaces near their homes, working with networks like Octopus to bring nature to people's doorsteps, and inviting residents to co-design and maintain greening projects.
Councillor Champion also mentioned the promotion of volunteering and tree sponsorship, as well as efforts to secure external funding through programs like the DLA Green Roots Programme. The focus is on developing initiatives that will have the most impact in tackling flooding, heat impacts, pollution, and enhancing climate resilience.
In response, Alistair Harper thanked Councillor Champion for making the borough so green, so lively,
and wished her the best Christmas.
