Manchester City Council

Zero carbon and climate change Our climate action

Behaviour change

Our direct carbon emissions are only about 2% of the city’s total. But we can influence behaviour and lead change. We aim to lead by example, raise awareness and empower people to take action.

We're engaging and equipping our staff, councillors and the public. So, they have the knowledge and skills to make real change. We also work with partners in the region. Such as Manchester Climate Ready and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. As well as lobbying and working with the Government. And securing the investment needed to ensure we have a climate-resilient city.

Key action from 2020 to 2025:

  • We were the first council in the UK to achieve ‘gold’ Carbon Literacy status. We've trained more than half of our workforce and associated bodies (such as MCRactive). And more than 90% of our senior officers and councillors.
  • We support Manchester Carbon Literate City. It brings together organisations and people who live, work or study here. With the aim of collectively gaining Carbon Literate Locality status for the city.
  • We make zero carbon a priority in the design of our services.
  • We hired three climate change officers to engage with people across the city.
  • We create local climate change action plans each year for every one of our 32 wards. They show how we'll help local people, projects and organisations. So they can take action.
  • Keep Manchester Tidy won Keep Britain Tidy's award for Best Council Support for Volunteers 2024.
  • We invested more than £600,000 in local projects related to climate change. Such as Cloudy Alley in Moss Side.
  • We engaged 70 education providers in our Green Schools Network.
  • We engaged more than 19,000 students and teachers from nurseries, schools and colleges. Our Eco-Schools initiative empowers young people to drive change in their communities.
  • We delivered two citywide behaviour change campaigns with Manchester Climate Ready. One for residents and another for businesses and organisations in the city.
  • We help to fund Manchester Climate Ready. This helps to unlock funds from other members of the partnership.

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