Workstream #5 - Catalysing change
5.1 The Carbon Literacy trainer’s contract has been extended to March 2022, to support the continued delivery of the training programme. A review of data was undertaken to exclude Council leavers from the numbers reported to the Carbon Literacy Project, resulting in the unique certified figure reducing by 163. However, records show MCC stills meets silver accreditation with 1075 unique certified people. The data will be reviewed again in September.
5.3 Building this action into the core workstream of Future Shape of the Council, under how we improve our decision making. Scope of this work will be developed by the end of June with actions over the next 2 years. Planning for the next Culture and VCSE funding programmes has commenced, contact made with procurement to consider how environmental consideration can be embedded into funding applications and grant agreements.
5.4 Three Neighbourhood Climate Change Officers are now in post to support climate change work on ward plans. A Zero Carbon Communities programme ‘In Our Nature’ launched in May with activity underway to recruit residents to be part of the group driving local climate activity across 6 neighbourhoods selected to be part of this programme. The programme is a partnership between Manchester Climate Change Agency and Partnership, Manchester City Council, Hubbub, Amity, the Tyndall Centre for Climate Research and Commonplace.
5.6 Interviews for the new Director have taken place but no appointment has yet been made. Recruitment for other posts will take place next quarter, interim staff are in place.
5.7 The new Chair of the Manchester Climate Change Partnership is progressing discussions ahead of a drive for new partnership members. In May, a report to the new Environment and Climate Change Scrutiny Committee included updates on progress from Manchester Climate Change Partners.
5.9 Lobbying of Greater Manchester Pension Fund has continued via the Executive Member and at officer level. A council representative continues to attend Greater Manchester meetings, including Green City Region Partnership.
5.10 Decisions on the format of COP26 and the outcome of expressions of interest are still to be provided. Work of Core Cities and London with Connected Places Catapult has progressed, and a consultant has been appointed to develop green investment propositions.
5.11 The European funded URBACT C-Change project hosted a successful final networking event in April, with over 120 people sharing the project's achievements and learnings over a 3-year duration. The six network partners were involved in the virtual event along with partners from each city. The EU Zero Carbon Cities project held a virtual masterclass in May for the seven partner cities, focussing on city delivery models for zero carbon. The session included presentations from Manchester and Oslo.
5.12 A working group of green skills partners met to revise the scope and priorities for green skills and develop actions relating to the priorities, retrofit is universally the main theme. Awareness raising campaigns within schools to promote green skills, jobs and opportunities are being supported.