This huge signal of intent from across the country would have been hard to imagine just two years before, when the first local climate emergency was declared by Bristol City Council in late 2018. Green Alliance worked closely with six local authorities who are at the forefront of local efforts to address climate change, to understand the measures they are putting in place and the challenges.
The local climate challenge: a new partnership approach
By autumn 2020, over 75 per cent of councils and combined authorities in England had declared climate emergencies, with most also setting targets for their area to meet a net zero carbon goal, the majority by 2030.