Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport:
“We’re really keen for Manchester to become the first Carbon Literate City. And that is really about training at least 15% of our residents [and others] to be Carbon Literate.
In Manchester, we always like to do things differently. And we don’t shy away from challenges. And it’s going to be really exciting to be that first Carbon Literate Locality.”
Professor Liz Price MBE, Professor of Environmental Education, Manchester Metropolitan University:
“What a Carbon Literate City looks like is... That climate action influences everything that the city does. And that everybody is empowered to be change agents for climate action. To achieve a net zero city by 2038. Or sooner.”
Hannah Hartley, Environmental Manager, Manchester Museum:
“In terms of a vision for Manchester as a more Carbon Literate City... In the future, that might be visible across the city. [And] as you’re moving around the city. That environmental practices are more evident. And communicated more clearly by a whole range of different organisations. And you can see that that cross-sector collaboration is happening.”
Tracey Rawlins:
“For me, it’s really about a city that is just more welcoming and inviting. And a place where people want to be.
We’re very clear about the need to take specific actions. And that’s why we have a very detailed climate change action plan that has targets within it. So far, I think we have 3,240 staff already trained in Carbon Literacy. And we’re heading towards the 3,500 mark by the end of this year [2024].
In our action plan, we’ve got our direct actions that we take. So, that’s work we’ve done to decarbonise our buildings. [And] change our operational fleet. Things like street lighting. Really tangible things. That people can see making a difference across the city and across the organisation.”
Hannah Hartley:
“Manchester Museum has quite a long history with the Carbon Literacy Project and Carbon Literacy training. We’ve actually been training since 2016. And so we can claim to be the world’s first Carbon Literate museum.
We’ve now trained, I think, over 1,400 people working in museums up and down England. From around 375 different organisations.
Thinking about Manchester Museum’s role in terms of how we might help create a Carbon Literate City. I think for us, it’s been about looking at how we can move beyond just being a space for informing and educating and inspiring people. Through the different narratives we tell. In our galleries, in our exhibitions [and] using our collections.”
Liz Price:
“As educators, universities clearly have a critical role to play in creating a Carbon Literate City. And if we look at Manchester as an example, between Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Manchester we have around 100,000 students. In the Oxford Road area of Manchester.
If we can encourage all of those students to become Carbon Literate. And they then take that out through their placements. And into their workplaces and their future careers. Then that could be a real step change for Manchester’s journey as a whole.
Our current focus is the Department for Education funded Climate Ambassadors programme. Where we’re working with a whole range of fantastic partners. To support education settings across Manchester, Greater Manchester and the wider North West. To develop their Carbon Literacy and green skills. And turn climate ambition into climate action.”
Ghislaine West, Head of Operations, Manchester Digital:
“For me, a Carbon Literate City means that knowledge and awareness is weaved into all areas of our daily lives. So, it’s not an added bolt on that requires extra effort. It’s something that works seamlessly for everyone. And I think for the tech sector, I think we need to be designing a low-carbon solution.
Manchester’s the tech hub of the UK and it’s grown massively in the last ten years. It’s at the forefront of innovations, so we need to be spreading the word.”
Tracey Rawlins:
“Being Carbon Literate enables you to think about the actions that you’re going to take. And translate it into [what] impact this is having. And what differences and changes can I make in my behaviour. To make a difference on that overall carbon budget. To become a zero-carbon city and have a better place to live by 2038.”