Empowering councils to take climate action
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As we reach the milestone of having engaged more than 250 UK councils in Carbon Literacy and Carbon Awareness training, Amanda Smith, CAT’s Head of Learning and Education, reflects on the journey so far and the impact we are making together.
In response to the growing call for climate action, spurred on by passionate young voices and increasing public pressure, more than 570 UK councils have declared a climate emergency. This means 95% of us now live in areas where local councils have publicly committed to make addressing climate change a top priority.
But declaring an emergency is just the first step. For many councils, the challenge lies in translating these declarations into concrete action plans. With limited resources and no clear roadmap, councils often find themselves with big aspirations but are unsure how to achieve them.
This is where CAT’s Zero Carbon Britain team comes in. For years, we’ve been delivering training on climate solutions, supporting individuals and organisations to take meaningful steps toward sustainability. When councils began declaring climate emergencies, we saw an opportunity to extend our support, helping them to develop action plans that would address the specific needs of their communities.
We’ve now worked with local government associations and councils at all levels, including county and borough councils, unitary and combined authorities, and town and parish councils. We have created bespoke training packages for elected members, senior leadership and officers. And we have held eight Carbon Literacy courses tailored for specific councils or groups of councils.
In addition to this training, we have provided in-depth consultancy for local authorities facing the complex challenges posed by the climate and nature emergencies. Our Staffordshire Councils Innovation Lab brought together elected members, CEOs and officers from 10 councils across Staffordshire. This collaborative initiative identified key barriers to achieving net zero and co-designed solutions, focusing on those with the most potential for impact. The findings from this groundbreaking work are outlined in our latest report Taking action together on the climate emergency.
To date, we’ve engaged more than 250 councils, including 78 borough councils. The journey doesn’t stop here – our calendar is filled with upcoming courses and more councils are set to receive bespoke training.
Our impact extends beyond councils too.
Alongside our Carbon Literacy work, CAT is providing tailored training and consultancy to a wide range of organisations, both nationally and internationally. From public bodies and educational institutions to businesses, faith groups and community organisations we are driving meaningful climate action. We have partnered with the British Retail Consortium, the NHS, and national churches, among others.
We are also excited to offer a fully funded series of Carbon Literacy courses for Powys residents and local organisations as part of the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Funding.
If you would like to find out more about our Zero Carbon Britain training courses and events visit cat.org.uk/zcb-training-events.
About the author
Amanda Smith is CAT’s Head of Learning and Education – she has overseen the development of our Zero Carbon Britain training programmes, short courses and schools education work.
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