Sharpening the commercial edge
The case for well-managed council commercial activity is one that needs to be defended if we want a mature and sustainable local state, argues Jonathan Werran.
Local government pension fund makes divestment threat
02/06/2021 Scotland’s largest local government pension fund will drop investments in fossil fuel firms that fail to act on the climate emergency. |
How local government can capitalise on its unique position in the race to net zero
28/05/2021 Chris Bowden outlines how leaders in local government can set their councils up to reach net zero. |
Tackling the red tape in green energy
25/05/2021 How do we make net zero more accessible for public sector bodies? Ranjit Singh reports. |
Local leaders calls for 'further and faster' action on climate change
25/05/2021 Local leaders have called for more funding and powers to help achieve climate change targets. |
Nearly 60 councils commit to ambitious net zero targets
21/05/2021 Nearly 60 council leaders have now pledged to meet net zero five years earlier than the Government. |
Calls to declare a climate and ecological emergency
06/05/2021 A climate and ecological emergency should be declared to avoid a health and mental health 'catastrophe', the Royal College of Psychiatrists has warned today. |
Councils' efforts to tackle climate change hindered by 'broken' system, warns report
04/05/2021 Local authorities are leading to way in tackling climate change but are being held back by a ‘broken’ national system, a new report has found. |
Councils at 'forefront' of climate change action
22/04/2021 To mark Earth Day, the Local Government Association (LGA) has highlighted the work being done by councils to help tackle climate change and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. |
Planning for climate power
25/03/2021 A new report from APSE Energy looks at the practical ways in which the power of planning can be harnessed to embed climate change ambitions, say Phil Brennan and Paul O’Brien. |
MPs to examine the role of local government in meeting 'net zero' by 2050
16/03/2021 The role local government can play in helping the UK achieve net zero by 2050 will be examined by MPs. |
Councils urged to set whole-area climate change targets
11/03/2021 Only half of local plans aim to reach net-zero across the entire local area, new analysis has shown. |
Local government pension fund to become net zero investor
10/03/2021 The Avon Pension Fund has committed to becoming a net zero investor by 2050 or earlier. |
Campaigners call for £10.6bn investment in ‘green apprenticeships’
02/03/2021 Environmental campaigners have called for the creation of 250,000 ‘green apprenticeships’ in areas such as renewable energy as part of the effort to address the twin crises of youth unemployment and climate change. |
BT Partners with scale-ups on breakthrough green tech
23/02/2021 Tech scale-ups collaborate with BT to develop new services aimed at helping public sector customers transition to Net Zero. |
Living in a climate emergency
11/02/2021 Cllr Scott Patient outlines how Calderdale MBC is working with partners and communities to both reduce flood risk and cut the impacts of climate change – but help is needed, and the council is calling on the Government to unlock resources. |
The Bay – a pivot to purpose
26/01/2021 Tim Pope and Sam Plum explain why local government reorganisation can be used as a catalyst for a new generation of councils that reflect their local economies and can lead the recovery. |
Lack of data affecting decision on local energy projects, councils warn
26/01/2021 The majority of councils are struggling to access the data they need to make informed decisions around local energy projects, a new survey has revealed. |
Inquiry launched into role of local authority pension funds in fighting climate change
20/01/2021 A parliamentary group has launched an inquiry into how institutional investors such as local authority pension funds can help drive a ‘just transition’ to a net zero economy. |
Towards Net Zero
07/01/2021 Join us on 26 January to discover break-through technology supporting the UK’s green recovery |
Driving community wealth and green jobs in Lewes
17/12/2020 Isaac Stanley looks at how Lewes DC is using the potential of community wealth building to increase opportunities for ‘green’ jobs, and to tackle both economic injustice and the threat posed by climate change. |
A third of councillors ‘not confident’ about meeting net zero targets
14/12/2020 One in three councillors are not confident their council can meet net zero targets, a new poll has found. |
Eight in ten councils hit by climate-related incidents
14/12/2020 Eight in ten councils have suffered climate-related incidents in the last five years, new research has revealed. |
Whitehall failing to harness councils’ enthusiasm on climate action
04/12/2020 The Government will fail to meet its 2050 net zero carbon target without working in partnership with local authorities, a new report has warned. |
Survey shows public trusts councils more than Government on COVID
30/11/2020 The findings of a new opinion poll show the public trusts councils more than Government on the response to COVID, says APSE. |
Creating a greener local government
19/11/2020 Mark Doyle, a senior corporate account manager at Gazprom Energy, looks at how to create a greener local government. |
PM publishes ten point plan for 'green industrial revolution'
18/11/2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson has published his ten point plan for creating a 'green industrial revolution' for 250,000 new jobs. |
Government announces ‘additional’ £40m of green funding
16/11/2020 The Government has announced that more areas are to be designated national parks and a second round of funding will be available to support the delivery of green jobs. |
Meeting Government green targets: How to stay ahead of the curve
16/11/2020 Jo Mills argues the UK’s green recovery must be at the forefront of the public sector’s agenda to ensure local authorities are on track to meet 2050 net-zero targets |
Councils play ‘critical role’ in fighting climate change but lack resources, watchdog says
12/11/2020 Local authorities play ‘critical role’ in improving air quality and the natural environment but they lack the necessary resources and expertise, watchdog says. |
Half of councils aim for zero-carbon 20 years ahead of schedule
12/11/2020 Over half of councils in the UK have set a goal of reaching net-zero carbon by 2030 or sooner, new data has shown. |
Manchester councils secure funding for clean energy project
23/09/2020 Funding to develop a clean energy project has been awarded to five councils in Greater Manchester that have declared a climate emergency. |
Citizen's Climate Assembly calls for reductions in car and air travel
15/09/2020 The first citizens’ assembly on climate change has called for tough action including limiting the growth of car and plane travel. |
Council chiefs announce net zero innovation programme
02/09/2020 Councils and universities can apply for a new Net Zero Innovation Programme to address climate challenges at a local level, the Local Government Association (LGA) and UCL announce today. |
New guide to help councils tackle climate change published
21/08/2020 Local authorities across the country will now be able to get more support in the fight against the climate crisis thanks to the publication of a new guide. |
Government announces ‘legally binding targets’ to tackle climate change
19/08/2020 The Government has set out a series of legally binding targets under the Environment Bill to combat climate change. |
Applications for the Design in the Public Sector programme now open
11/08/2020 Local authorities in England are now able to apply to take part in the Local Government Association’s (LGA) climate change-themed Design in the Public Sector programme. |
Are enough local governments acting on climate emergency declarations?
05/08/2020 Hannah Callingham says councils must start to develop and deliver climate change strategies in order to meet declarations. |
Majority of councils lack expertise to deal with flood risk, survey reveals
28/07/2020 Local authorities are facing a critical shortage of the expertise needed to plan for climate change, a new survey has found. |
Launch of sustainable development guide for councils
17/07/2020 A new guide to help councils engage with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been launched. |
Seize the moment for a greener future
13/07/2020 Sue Riddlestone explains why the time is right to re-shape our communities to go carbon neutral. |
Ministers urged to create a 'green bank'
03/07/2020 Ministers have been urged to create a Green Bank to fund climate change investment as part of the Government’s multi-billion pound infrastructure investment programme announced earlier this week. |
Rural councils join forces to tackle climate change
25/06/2020 A coalition of 21 rural councils, in partnership with UK100, have launched the Countryside Climate Network this week. |
Government launches consultation on accelerating tree planting
19/06/2020 The Government has launched a consultation on ways to accelerate tree planting in an effort to combat the biodiversity and climate crises. |
Commission warns infrastructure must prepare for future challenges
28/05/2020 Climate change and extreme weather conditions could test the future resilience of the UK's infrastructure, according to a new report by the National Infrastructure Commission. |
A greener future?
01/05/2020 Steven Meersman warns that transitioning to net-zero must continue to be a priority despite Covid-19. |
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Former 'red wall' support devolution to tackle climate change
10/03/2020 Three-quarters of former ‘red wall’ seats believe councils need extra funding and powers to deal with the climate emergency, a new survey has revealed. |
Over £30bn annual investment needed to reach net zero by 2050
09/03/2020 An estimated £33bn of investment is needed every year for the next three decades if the Government is to meet its carbon emissions target of net zero by 2050. |
Council chiefs call for freedom to cut carbon emissions from housebuilding
06/03/2020 Council leaders and mayors from across the political spectrum are calling on the Government to abandon proposed restrictions on their ability to cut carbon emissions from housebuilding. |
Is it a climate ‘emergency’?
25/02/2020 Alex Massie explores if the climate change crisis is really an 'emergency' or not. |
Five cities rated 'A' in fight against climate change
20/02/2020 Five UK cities have been named as leaders in climate change and transparency by CDP. |
West Midlands secures funding for smart energy projects
20/02/2020 Three projects in the West Midlands have received £3m of Government funding to drive forward state-of-the-art carbon neutral technologies. |
Leisure centre contracts in the era of the climate crisis
07/02/2020 Why contracts for the future operation and maintenance of leisure facilities need to change to accommodate issues like the climate emergency. |
Nearly half of councils unsure of their carbon footprint, research finds
28/01/2020 Nearly half of councils in England do not know their own carbon footprint, new research has revealed. |
Tackling the climate emergency
15/01/2020 Duncan Price explores why everyone needs to take responsibility and action in order to meet the Government’s 2050 net zero target. |
Oxford councils propose UK’s first Zero Emission Zone
08/01/2020 The final draft proposals for the UK’s first city centre Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ) have been published as part of a drive to reduce Oxford’s ‘toxic air pollution levels’. |
Council ditches plastic parking tickets
19/12/2019 Brent Council has announced it is stopping the use of plastic parking tickets and replacing them with an environmentally friendly replacement. |
Cornwall Council launches tree planting drive
18/12/2019 Cornwall Council’s flagship climate emergency project the Forest for Cornwall will be officially launched next week at a community planting day in Saltash. |
Oxford CC publishes £19m climate emergency budget
17/12/2019 Oxford City Council has outlined a £19m climate emergency budget to help the authority become a zero carbon council in 2020. |
Renewables at no upfront cost?
16/12/2019 Rebecca Lawson explains why local authorities are embracing community energy. |
Creating the right climate for change
13/12/2019 ADEPT has created an expert advisory panel to assess projects and share knowledge throughout the sector. Nigel Riglar explains. |
Millions more to be affected by flooding as Greenland's ice melt faster than expected
11/12/2019 More than 40 million people than expected will be affected by coastal flooding by 2100 a new study has revealed. |
Cycling key to stopping plastic polluting the ocean, charity says
10/12/2019 A charity has called on the next Government to invest more into the promotion of cycling and walking as part of the effort to prevent plastic polluting the ocean. |
‘Greta Effect’ puts climate change on local agenda
02/12/2019 Urban council leaders and elected mayors now rank the climate emergency among the most important issues British cities face, a new study has revealed. |
Welsh council tops Recycling Carbon Index
25/11/2019 Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council has been named as the best recycler in the UK in terms of the amount of greenhouse gas emissions it has saved. |
Is pollution increasing in the UK?
21/11/2019 Giulia Kapp explores what improvements have been made to the UK’s air quality. |
Planners call for stronger direction to tackle climate change
18/11/2019 Stronger direction from the Government and more resources are needed to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, according to town planners. |
Cities can address climate crisis by ‘joining the dots’ between sectors
14/11/2019 Cities can help protect the environment by linking up their policies on transport, energy and the built environment, according to campaigners. |
West Midlands and Google team up to tackle climate change
31/10/2019 The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has teamed up with Google to tackle the climate change emergency. |
Bristol council considers banning diesel vehicles
30/10/2019 Bristol City Council is considering banning diesel vehicles in what it claims will be the quickest way to reduce nitrogen dioxide in the air. |
Five things to consider when declaring a climate emergency
28/10/2019 Alex Massie outlines five issues that local authorities should not forget when preparing climate emergency strategies. |
Welsh council trials microchipping bins to encourage recycling
24/10/2019 A Welsh county council is trialling the use of microchipping as part of an effort to encourage recycling as it moves to a four weekly collection. |
Support local industrial strategies to ‘promote a zero-carbon economy’, think tanks say
23/10/2019 Government must support local industrial strategies, with new funding and devolved powers, to promote a zero-carbon economy, according to two think tanks. |
Sturgeon announces £27m to promote walking and cycling
16/10/2019 More than 200 ‘active travel’ projects across Scotland are set to receive a multi-million pound investment, Scotland’s first minister has announced. |
Cities offered over £875,000 to support innovative climate change solutions
14/10/2019 Europe’s largest public-private partnership has called on cities around the world to join its ‘Climathon Global Awards’ to find new systems level solutions to tackle climate change. |
Queen's Speech 19: Brexit, health and devo at the heart of Government plans
14/10/2019 Brexit, the NHS and devolution are at the heart of the next round of Government legislation as outlined in the first Queen’s Speech today. |
Manchester CC joins campaign to plant 50 million trees
09/10/2019 Manchester City Council has thrown its weight behind a campaign to encourage the Government to support the planting of a large forest in the North of England. |
Climate change targets ‘unlikely to be met’ without funding, council chiefs say
03/10/2019 National climate change targets are ‘unlikely to be met’ unless local authorities are given long-term funding and more powers, council chiefs say. |
Councils call for new taskforce to tackle climate change
25/09/2019 Council leaders have proposed setting up a national taskforce with Whitehall departments to tackle climate change. |
New online tool to help councils calculate carbon footprint launched
23/09/2019 Climate scientists have developed an online tool that can help local authorities calculate their carbon budget and cut down on emissions. |
Whitehall announces £400m for rapid charging points
10/09/2019 The Government has launched a £400m fund to help develop rapid charging infrastructure points for electric vehicles. |
APSE to launch Local Government Commission
10/09/2019 A new commission to develop a practical vision for local government in 2030 will be launched by APSE later this month. |
Council to pilot electric bin lorries powered by waste
04/09/2019 Electric bin lorries that are powered by the waste they have collected will be trialled by Sheffield City Council. |
Lawyers warn 100 local authorities over climate change plans
02/09/2019 Environmental lawyers have threatened legal action against 100 local authorities across England unless they introduce new climate change plans. |
Council hits carbon reduction target early
28/08/2019 Herefordshire Council has hit its 2020 carbon reduction target early, an outcome the authority says shows their ‘commitment to tackling the climate emergency’. |
Whitehall carbon emission target ‘undeliverable’, MPs warn
22/08/2019 MPs have warned the Government that there are no policies in place to deliver the net-zero carbons emissions target by 2050. |
Declaring a climate change emergency
09/08/2019 Local authorities can play a key role in tackling climate change – and there is plenty for them to do. Never before has thinking globally and acting locally been more important, says Mark Whitehead. |
Over half of councils declare ‘climate emergency’
31/07/2019 More than half of UK councils have committed to reducing carbon emissions by declaring a 'climate emergency'. |
Liverpool submits £230m ‘Green City Deal’
30/07/2019 The mayor of Liverpool has submitted a proposal to the new prime minister for a £230m Green City Deal to tackle climate change and boost the economy. |
Local government's relationship with Extinction Rebellion
23/07/2019 Several cities throughout the UK have been hit by protests involving climate change protestors. Mark Whitehead assesses how councils are dealing with it. |
New toolkit launched to help councils go green
20/06/2019 A new toolkit designed to help local authorities reduce their carbon footprint and ‘trigger the wider benefits of bold climate action’ has been launched. |
Keeping road networks running
10/04/2019 Manish Jethwa explains how councils can use IoT technology to mitigate the impact of climate change on highways. |
Councils declare a ‘climate emergency’
26/02/2019 A climate emergency declaration has been made by 27 councils across the country following a campaign by the Green Party. |
Leeds aims for zero carbon energy economy
17/12/2018 Leeds City Region could become one of the world’s first zero carbon energy economies thanks to a new energy strategy. |
Council pension funds at financial risk from climate change, report warns
09/11/2018 Local Government Pension Funds (LGPFs) are failing to protect themselves from the financial risk posed by climate change, a new report has warned today. |
Councils must ‘act now’ to tackle carbon emissions
09/10/2018 Councils must ensure all plans have carbon-reduction targets, charity says after report warns global warming will lead to ‘unprecedented changes' in society. |
Councils begin judicial review against Heathrow expansion
07/08/2018 Five London councils, Greenpeace and the mayor of London have started judicial review proceedings against the expansion of Heathrow airport. |
Guide launched to help councils cope with climate change through planning
16/05/2018 Planning experts have joined forces to offer councils practical advice on how to cope with climate change. |
London council approves £150m low-carbon pension investment
26/01/2018 Southwark Council has agreed to move £150m of its pension fund into a low-carbon investment. |
Council pension funds benefit from climate change investment policy framework
13/11/2017 The first climate change investment policy framework has been launched for local government pension funds. |
This issue of Public Property examines how how flexible workspaces can lead the way in regeneration for local authorities, Why local authority intervention is key to successful urban regeneration schemes and if the Government’s challenge of embracing beauty is an opportunity for communities.
The March issue also takes a closer look at Blackburn with Darwen Council's first digital health hub to help people gain control over health and care services.
