Manchester City Council

Zero carbon and climate change Our climate action

People and communities

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. They include Manchester Climate Ready and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. We lobby and work with the Government. And we secure the investment needed to ensure the city is climate resilient.

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 are trained.
  • We support Manchester Carbon Literate City. It brings together organisations and people who live, work or study here. Together, we aim to gain Carbon Literate Locality status for the city.
  • We hired three climate change officers to engage with people across the city.
  • We create 32 local climate change action plans each year. One for every ward. 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. Find out about 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 was for residents and the other 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.