On Tuesday, 4th of November we launched our flagship Scorecards analysis, The Local Climate Report: State of UK council climate action, with national and sector press coverage. The report details the headline statistics from the 2025 Council Climate Action Scorecards alongside in-depth analysis from sector experts.

We launched the report alongside an online conference where we were joined by almost 100 people, including representatives from over 30 councils. 

The event started off with an excellent plenary session from Louise Marix Evans (author of the soon to be released 7th carbon budget and local authorities report), Rosa Foster and Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz (Newham Council). Louise covered an overview of council climate action from the national perspective, Rosa from work that has been done across the Yorkshire & Humber region and Mayor Fiaz about what climate action looked like in Newham and the work that had been done to embed climate justice in the borough.

We were then joined by some of the best experts in the business in a series of short, intimate breakout sessions, where our experts shared their insights and participants had the ability to ask their indepth questions.

“The breakouts were a really valuable way of sharing info and getting expert advice.”

We were joined by the following experts at the report launch, who spoke on best practice council climate action within their particular sector:

• Buildings & Heating: Alastair Mumford, Programmes Director, The MCS Foundation
• Transport: Silviya Barrett, Director Policy and Campaigns – Campaign for Better Transport
• Collaboration & Engagement: Hayden Banks, Advocacy Manager – Climate Outreach
• Adaptation:  Rachel Toresen-Owuor (Senior Director) & Emma Bull (Assistant Director) – Local Partnerships
• Biodiversity: Richard Benwell, CEO – Wildlife & Countryside Link
• Governance & Finance: Phil Glanville, Director of Advocacy & Engagement – UK100
• Planning & Land Use: Larry Tate, Project & Comms Coordinator – Good Homes Alliance
• Waste Reduction & Food: Don, Engagement Director and Scorecards lead, CE UK

Once the in-depth breakout sessions had occurred we moved into space for reflection, where participants could share the key insights they learnt with each other. Some of the insights attendees reported were around the importance of the use of language for both taking action and for the impacts to be proved, embedding climate action and adaptation into central services, creating a business as usual approach for climate action and putting social justice at the heart of all climate and nature action. 

Having launched an infographic focusing on adaptation for the first time we were thrilled to see many participants attend this session and pass on positive feedback. One interesting idea that popped up was the need to engage with council’s social care teams on adaptation as they will be on the frontline of helping to respond.

“Climate is seen as a cost and a “nice to have”, not a necessity. I need arguments to prove this is short sighted for our council.”

This is the ongoing challenge for those that work at councils and for those that want to see more climate action. With council finances stretched and opposition to climate action rising it will be easier for change not to happen, and for projects to be put off.

We must continue to tie the impacts of council climate action with the cobenefits these actions produce, from cleaner air to more resilient and greener communities, as we do in the Local Climate Report.

Finally, we would like to say a huge thank you to all the participants and every organisation who contributed to the report and spoke at our event. It is always a pleasure to bring together so many people who are driving forward climate action in their council and communities.