Case studies

In 2019, Nottingham set an ambitious target to become the first carbon neutral city in the UK by 2028. In keeping with Nottingham’s proud tradition of climate leadership, their Carbon Neutral Charter set out a vision for sustainable carbon neutrality on behalf of the council and the city’s Green Partnership.

As part of the Government’s drive for a green industrial revolution and the Council’s COVID-19 Economic Strategy and climate change commitments, Derbyshire County Council has launched a Green Entrepreneurs Fund – a £2 million grant fund to help local businesses develop and invest in green energy and carbon reduction, and provide a boost to the local economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic

In order to raise awareness through the community of Leicester, the city council intend to use the Carbon Literacy Project as a way of accrediting university students and school staff to become carbon literate trainers who will deliver training to school students within the city.

Against a challenging backdrop, financially and politically, Northumberland County Council has developed a robust response to their climate emergency declaration of 2019 and created a pipeline of projects to accelerate delivery in line with their targets.

Solihull Council has embarked on a scheme to deliver an alternative source of affordable low carbon energy to the town centre. The network will distribute low carbon heat and power from a single energy centre directly into town centre buildings. The energy centre at the heart of this network will provide a range of renewable and low carbon energy solutions including air source heat pumps and gas combined heat and power.

Langport Town Council, in partnership with neighbouring Huish Episcopi Parish Council, set up an online climate forum in the autumn of 2020, to engage and swap climate adaptation ideas with more than 20 other parish councils that share the fragile ecology of the Somerset Levels.

To meet it’s target to be carbon neutral by 2030, the Council have developed a Carbon Neutral Plan.

In recognition of the climate emergency, West Sussex County Council launched its Climate Change Strategy during 2020. This underpins their corporate plan, making climate change a fundamental consideration of all actions going forward and elevating progress on a wide variety of supporting projects.

In 2014, Telford & Wrekin Council became only the second local authority in the UK to build a publicly owned solar farm. It took less than 18 months between the initial plans being proposed and construction being completed.

‘Walk the Global Walk’ is a three-year international project which focuses on mobilising young people in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Carmarthenshire County Council is working in partnership with Dolen Cymru Lesotho, supporting 15 schools with a focus on climate action.