Waverley has officially declared a climate emergency.

The announcement has now committed the borough council to regard climate change as a serious threat that requires urgent action to reduce carbon emissions and conserve biodiversity.

Councillors attending the full council meeting on September 18 voted to adopt the motion, which sets out the local authority’s aim to become carbon neutral by 2030.

To help achieve this ambitious target, it will accelerate its efforts by introducing greener buildings, transportation and energy.

Across the council’s services, all strategic decisions, budgets and approaches to planning decisions will be aligned with the goal of achieving a shift to carbon-neutral.

Waverley will develop a detailed action plan within six months to support the motion, which will set out key actions and milestones to achieve the target.

Waverley Conservative Group supported the establishment of a working group of officers and members to investigate necessary actions by March 2020 before the detailed study is completed.

Its members said they expected the study to recommend changes to how Waverley’s 5,000-plus council houses were heated, and also to propose a requirement that all vehicles operated by, or on behalf of, the council should be powered by electricity.

But they considered it was inappropriate to set a target of 2030 before the detailed study was completed.

The council has acknowledged it can’t just ‘go it alone’ and has committed to work with the community, parish and town councils and other agencies to support making the entire area carbon neutral by 2030.

It will also encourage residents to do their bit to help create a greener, more sustainable and environmentally-friendly borough.

Achieving the target will also require additional powers, funding and other resources from central government, so the council will be seeking opportunities to make the case to local MPs, ministers and government agencies.

Waverley environment portfolio holder Councillor Steve Williams said: “Describing the current situation as an emergency demonstrates how seriously we take the threat to our environment.

“The science behind global warming is indisputable.

“It’s real, it’s here and it’s long past the time to stop talking. We need to start taking serious action.

“All over the world, climate breakdown is causing serious damage.”