New research shows how local authorities can accelerate climate action

Research findings into how local authorities are progressing on climate action has been launched by the Midlands Net Zero Hub today.

The Climate Action Benchmarking project, funded by Midlands Net Zero Hub and supported by CDP and Sustainability West Midlands, aimed to identify areas where councils in the Midlands are excelling as they work towards net zero targets and climate adaptation planning and where additional support is needed across 10 broad themes.

An overarching Climate Action in the Midlands report highlights that there is much to be celebrated as councils transition to net zero on their own estate acting as a catalyst for decarbonising their local areas, and commencement of the consideration of climate change adaptation. Strengths of the local authorities included:

  • Establishing programmes to support the decarbonisation of transport, whether though electrifying council fleets and installing electric vehicle charging
  • Delivering large-scale domestic retrofit programmes to support those in, or at risk of, fuel poverty, often in partnership with Midlands Net Zero Hub
  • Implementing tree planting projects and considering biodiversity net gain in their programmes
  • Installing solar PV on council estates
  • Supporting local businesses to reduce their energy usage
  • Working in partnership to roll out local flood management schemes

However, through the research, areas for improvement have also been identified. The recommendations for local authorities include:

  • Supporting the rollout of community energy programmes
  • Improving resilience by developing a place-based adaptation plan and associated risk assessment
  • Investigating setting up a heat network
  • Encouraging sustainable travel by providing safe walking and cycling routes
  • Integrating nature into their own sites through small projects, including wildflower meadows and insect holes
  • Rolling out long-term public engagement campaigns on topics such as waste reduction and recycling
  • Joining up health and wellbeing strategies to the environmental agenda
  • Reviewing their approach to procurement to prioritise local, low carbon, sustainable businesses

Through the project, each local authority that took part received a bespoke report that sets out areas for improvements and actions that can be taken to accelerate progress towards net zero and working towards wider sustainability objectives, including around nature improvement, climate adaptation, and resource efficiency. Related projects from other local authorities are also highlighted to facilitate knowledge sharing and collaborative working.

Following the benchmarking project, the Midlands Net Zero Hub intends to use the information gathered to provide direction for the support it offers to local authorities in the region. As the Midlands Hub is part of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Local Net Zero Hub programme, it offers its expertise to public sector organisations in the region for free.

The Midlands Climate Action Benchmarking project builds on success that CDP and Sustainability West Midlands have achieved in tracking councils’ climate action.

Jack Hayhoe, Head of Net Zero Programmes at Midlands Net Zero Hub, said: “I would like to thank all  the local authorities who dedicated the time to complete our benchmarking project. We know there is a huge amount of climate ambition in the region, with more than three quarters of local authorities aiming to be net zero on their own estates by 2041, nine years ahead of the UK’s 2050 net zero target. Having data on councils’ climate action is invaluable to the Midlands Net Zero Hub as it will allow us to focus our support on where it is needed the most. I look forward to continuing to work with local authorities across the region to make their net zero projects happen.”

Alan Carr, Senior Sustainability Adviser, said: ”SWM has been supporting and benchmarking local authorities in the West Midlands region since we were founded in 2002. It is great to see the progress that has been made since then, but this latest exercise also serves as a reminder of how much more there is to do. It gives a clear direction on how we, the Midlands Net Zero Hub, CDP and national Government can support councils over the next 12 to 18 months on climate action, while remaining empathetic to the challenges and constraints that they are faced with.

Hanah Paik, Interim Director of Cities, States & Regions at CDP, said: “The Midlands Climate Action Benchmarking project stands as the most comprehensive collection of Local Authority climate action data that CDP has ever conducted in any UK region. This initiative underscores the critical need for ongoing measuring, managing and reporting of environmental impacts. The insights gained from this project have not only supported essential climate planning and action for individual Councils in the Midlands but have also furnished environmental policymakers at the national level with invaluable strategic guidance. It is our hope that this project will serve as a blueprint for effective environmental disclosure across the entire country.”

Read the overarching Climate Action in the Midlands 2024 Report for the full details.

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