Manchester City Council

The Council and democracy Zero Carbon Manchester

Neighbourhood Climate Action

Local action for zero carbon

Manchester aims to be a zero-carbon city by 2038 at the latest, 12 years ahead of the Government’s target for the whole UK.  

But we’ll only get there if everyone plays their part. So every action matters, no matter how small. 

We want to find and work with people in every neighbourhood who want to help us do something about the climate emergency. Let’s find out what can work for you and your neighbours – and let’s tackle whatever’s stopping you doing more.  

Climate action plans for every ward

Each of Manchester’s 32 wards now has its very own climate action plan. It sets out what needs doing, when, and who’s involved in key areas like: 

  • young people 
  • homes and energy 
  • travel and transport 
  • nature and greening 
  • recycling and food

It's your plan - get involved!

Everyone has a part to play in the exciting projects for their ward. Lots of residents are already involved alongside your councillors, council staff and our partners in housing and health, businesses and voluntary organisations. 

Get in touch – help turn your local plan into action that works for you and your neighbours: 

 

Join our local climate heroes – or start your own project 

Your councillors, our Climate Change Officers and other council staff are supporting many groups’ projects to improve their neighbourhood and tackle climate change. 

Projects by theme

 

Young People 

  • Making an outdoor classroom in Cheetham with cycle and walking paths, a pond, planting beds for food growing, composting and a bug hotel on unused land for their whole community. 
  • Creating a new ‘nature-based solutions’ greenspace in Miles Platting and Newton Heath. 
  • Working to get the Eco-Schools green flag from Keep Britain Tidy whose 2022 Great British Spring clean in Manchester focuses on areas where young people walk, play, and enjoy themselves. 
  • Air pollution experiments with schools as part of the University of Manchester’s Great Science Share for Schools: Clean Air Challenge.  
  • Planning a climate change event to raise awareness in Withington and Old Moat. 

Buildings and energy 

  • Northwards Housing are testing how a £2.5million 'retrofit’ of council flats with heat pumps, insulation, triple-glazing, solar panels and reroofing will help residents reduce waste and bills.  
  • Housing provider One Manchester have delivered the UK’s first zero-carbon social homes. The twenty-two properties are now being used for social rent in Beswick.  
  • One Manchester launched the ‘Power Up’ initiative – A free service to share useful advice and information for residents wishing to better manage their homes particularly around energy efficiency 
  • Southway Housing Energy Buddies are at hand to support Southway tenants struggling with gas and electric supply. The team can discover additional financial support that might be available. They will also help to keep homes warm by providing energy-saving advice and installing tools. 

Boosting biodiversity and local greening 

  • People are taking up tried and tested projects from neighbouring areas where they see the value for their locality: 
  • Whalley Range neighbours now tackle weeds on their streets themselves after asking the Council to stop using weedkiller. 
  • Ardwick and Rusholme residents are improving green space with wild flowers, bulbs and other plants. The burst of colour attracts bees, butterflies and other insects. Bird and bat boxes are helping too.  
  • Hulme residents, schools, MMU student volunteers and housing organisation One Manchester say their greening work encourages more active travel by creating more attractive places to walk and cycle.  
  • Miles Platting Community and Age-Friendly Network  – The MPCAN have launched a Climate Action sub-group! Committed local people, harnessing community power to make their neighbourhood more climate resilient, greener and a better support for wildlife and biodiversity. In partnership with Manchester City Council and funded through the Neighbourhood Investment Fund, the group are conducting a series of “Climate Action Day” events to identify greenspaces for improvement. 
  • A collaboration of local Friends of Parks, Community and resident representatives across Rusholme are working together on a tree and hedge planting project in partnership with the MMU and City of Trees.  This means rewilding existing tree trails for nature recovery and a local community orchard project. 

Growing food 

  • Newton Heath residents are being inspired to get growing at home by ‘Greener Wilder Homes’ which pairs them with a local gardening expert to help transform their underused outside space. Delivered through the In Our Nature project in partnership with Sow the City. 
  • Sow the City has also got many Beswick residents started growing vegetables in their yards, patios and window ledges. Door-to-door giveaways of biodegradable pots, soil and vegetable seeds spurred many to sign up for classes at the local community centre. 

Travel and Transport 

  • Chorlton people, schools, and businesses are working together to reduce short car journeys, encouraging active transport to cut CO2. 
  • Supporting WalkRide Blackley, a group that aims to make walking & cycling the natural choice for everyday journeys. Find out more about what they do on Twitter @WlkRideBlackley or by emailing them at walkrideblackley@walkridegm.org.uk. 
  • Neighbourhood officers are supporting opportunities for local active travel by promoting the recently introduced trial of Greater Manchester’s first publicly operated, self-service, 24/7 cycle hire programme: Bee Network Cycle Hire. 
  • Cycle hire stations have been installed in key locations with the full Scheme due to launch this Summer helping to support key actions in local Climate Change Action Plans. 

In Our Nature

The Council has partnered up with the Manchester Climate Change Agency and other experts in the environment and climate change to: 

  • Create six community groups to act in their neighbourhoods and develop community leaders. 
  • Encourage people to reduce their carbon imprint and join local action. 
  • Develop and showcase community-led projects to inspire, learn and spread good practice. 

Sign up to In Our Nature 

Neighbourhood Investment Fund 

The Neighbourhood Investment Fund (NIF) is open to established groups, voluntary groups and other community groups, as well as groups of residents working together for the first time, who need money to deliver community-focused projects. We are encouraging more applications for projects tackling climate change through activities such as: 

  • Greening and rewilding 
  • local food projects 
  • awareness raising and engagement activities around climate change 
  • repair workshops 
  • increase composting, recycling, and reducing waste 
  • green travel initiatives, including improvements to air quality.  

It is easy to apply for NIF

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