Independent Lincolnshire County councillor defends decision to fly to COP 27 climate change conference

A councillor justified her decision to fly to the COP 27 climate change conference, saying that enough trees were planted to offset it.

Questions were raised about the trip to the Egypt climate change conference at Lincolnshire County Council.

Marianne Overton (Independent) who represents the Bassingham and Welbourn ward, said more than 400 trees were planted to justify the trip.

She stood by the decision to meet key decision makers in person, and said emissions needed to be reduced from travel in general.

She made the trip as part of the Council of Municipalities and Regions delegation, representing local governments, and gave a keynote speech on reaching zero waste.

The issue was raised by Thomas Dyer (Conservative) at a full county council meeting to laughter from his colleagues.

“Climate change is an important issue for everybody in this chamber. Residents in my district have asked me what the carbon impacts would be if a member of this council was flying from the United Kingdom to Sharm el-Sheikh for the recently concluded 27 conference,” he said.

Mrs Overton responded: “The impact of the trip has been offset, my family planted 400 trees and have plans to set two more fields aside for natural regeneration.

“This council recognised recently that 40% of the county’s emissions are from transport.

“So if we are looking for savings in money, as well as in emissions, let’s think about how to save the planet.

“We should see if we can improve public transport so that people don’t want to have a car because it’s actually a lot easier to use public transport.”

Ashley Baxter also reminded the county council they had recently sent a trade delegation of 21 people to China.

The COP27 conference in November brought together thousands of politicians and activists to tackle climate change.

Billions were promised to poorer countries damaged by climate change, but there was criticism that richer economies weren’t moving away from fossil fuels quickly enough.