AN ENVIRONMENTAL campaigner has warned “we mustn’t be complacent” after Southend was named a global leader in the fight against climate change.

Southend is one of 95 cities and towns worldwide named on the Carbon Disclosure Project’s (CDP) annual A List which showcases the authorities leading on environmental transparency and action.

The council says it has been recognised for its ‘transparency’ based on two years’ worth of disclosure to the CDP on areas covering waste, water, energy and transport.

It was also rated highly for keeping an emissions inventory which measures overall emission.

Jon Fuller, of South East Essex Friends of the Earth, praised the council’s transparency but warned more must be done, both by the authority and residents, to avoid climate collapse.

“While emissions in Southend may well be comparatively low, that’s because we don’t do so much of our manufacturing here, and as residents we need to consider our consumption emissions,” Mr Fuller said.

“Quite frequently the national press will point the finger at India and China for burning so much coal, but these places manufacture so many of the goods that we consume.”

He added: “We cannot be complacent, we mustn’t be complacent. We in Southend have a huge responsibility to turn this around.”

Southend is the only local authority in the East of England region to have achieved the A List rating for 2021 and of all the UK Councils that reported to the CDP this year, only 9.8 per cent made it on to the A List.

James Vessey-Miller, coordinator of the South East Essex Green Party, welcomed the council’s inclusion on the list, but added more could be done to address climate issues.

“There are lots of people in the town who do genuinely care about the environment and have been pushing the council for a very long time to take a much more environmentally conscious approach,” he said,

“Southend Council has been taking some steps in the right direction, especially regarding transparency but we would always push them to do much more.”

The council recently appointed its first ever head of climate change, Jo Gay.

“The A List accreditation is a fantastic achievement and a reflection of both the excellent work of colleagues and the Council’s commitment to a carbon neutral Southend,” she said.

“By working together, the changes we make now, however big or small, will benefit residents, nature and ultimately the planet for present and future generations.”