Days after the Met Office warned of significant temperature rises in the decades ahead, Liberal Democrat controlled South Cambridgeshire District Council has pledged to support an ambitious target of cutting local carbon emissions to zero by 2050.

The UK Climate Projections 2018 study says that, under a scenario with the highest emissions, summer temperatures could be up to around 5C hotter by 2070. Even under a scenario with lower emissions, the report says the UK will still see higher average yearly temperatures.

At a full Council meeting members of all parties at South Cambridgeshire District Council unanimously backed a motion proposing that “South Cambs shows responsible climate leadership by supporting the transition to zero carbon by 2050 in the next Local Plan.”