A climate emergency has been declared by Fife Council, sparking a commitment to cut carbon emissions by 75% by 2035.
The local authority said it would work towards becoming carbon neutral in the longer term.
The move, agreed at a meeting of the full council, follows stark messages by teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg and similar climate emergency declarations from other local authorities, the Westminster and Holyrood governments.
Environment convener, SNP councillor Ross Vettraino, said the pace at which the council would move towards carbon neutrality had been agreed earlier this year.
“The council has to move towards carbon neutrality by 2045,” he said.
“We are developing a sustainable climate action plan.
“It’s not something that’s confined to the council and delivering it is about partnership.
“The draft plan will be available for public consultation later this year and it will be submitted to the environment committee in February.”
Local authorities across Scotland have been declaring a “climate emergency” following the lead of both UK and Scottish governments.
In June, Dundee City Council agreed to a 2045 or earlier climate neutral target date. Councillors in Dumfries and Galloway also voted this summer to agree a plan and cut their own deadline from 2030 to 2025.
Earlier this month Angus Council voted to remove a 2045 deadline to become carbon- neutral and also to take out key actions from a plan to tackle the effect of climate change on local communities.
Labour councillor Judy Hamilton said the climate emergency had been widely-publicised and was well known.
“We need a solution for Fife,” she said.
“In declaring a climate emergency we will take responsibility while we acknowledge how difficult it’s going to be.”
Ms Hamilton said the policy would have implications for services and resources, including housing and transportation.
“Work is already well under way on our strategy and action plan,” she said.
“We are a lead authority already on this and our work is nearing conclusion.
“This council is absolutely serious about reducing emissions and we are taking a highly important step in declaring an emergency.”
Liberal Democrat councillors Jane Ann Liston and Tim Brett had submitted a motion at the full council meeting calling on the council to take the lead in making Fife carbon neutral by 2030.
Ms Liston said: “A report to the United Nations science section says global warming is happening a lot faster than we thought.”
However, Mr Vettraino said that while the motion is well-meaning, it is not in the council’s remit to force businesses to comply.
