Dismissed Lancing parish councillor slams climate emergency declaration: 'I don't buy the whole climate thing'

A former Lancing parish councillor dismissed for poor attendance has hit out at the council over its declaration of a climate emergency.
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Gina Scotting, who represented Mash Barn ward, was removed from Lancing Parish Council on Saturday (November 23), alongside councillor Carol Albury, after failing to attend meetings for six months.

The ex-councillor has accused councillors of rushing through the agenda in May this year to declare a climate emergency, in which the parish council pledged to become carbon neutral by 2030.

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"I don’t buy the whole climate thing and refuse to be part of such a dictatorial council," said Ms Scotting.

Gina Scotting said she does not buy the idea of climate changeGina Scotting said she does not buy the idea of climate change
Gina Scotting said she does not buy the idea of climate change

"It’s politically correct to agree with every nutcase who declares the world is coming to an end and that we should all give up driving, foreign holidays, eating meat etc."

Ms Scotting suggested the 'cost of everything is soaring' because the Government and local councils add taxes under the guise of fighting climate change.

The former councillor rejected the notion of climate change but acknowledged that 'America, China and India still create vast amounts of pollution', making local recycling efforts futile.

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"Unless the chair of Lancing Parish Council has a great idea to throw a bubble over Lancing, then all the efforts in the world won’t change anything," she added, in an apparent admission that something did need to change.

Last month, 11,000 scientists from around the world released a joint statement which set out 'clearly and unequivocally that planet Earth is facing a climate emergency'.

The statement said increases in factors including human and livestock populations, meat production, carbon emissions and numbers of air passengers were 'profoundly troubling'.

Concluding 'urgent action' was required, the statement said: "We believe that the prospects will be greatest if decision-makers and all of humanity promptly respond to this warning and declaration of a climate emergency and act to sustain life on planet Earth, our only home."

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Chairman Lydia Pope encouraged residents at the time to share their ideas on how lifestyle changes could limit environmental impact and help prevent the planet for future generations.