A new tool for sustainable living
26/05/2022 Buckinghamshire Council is proud to be the first council in the UK to use the official app guiding users towards living sustainably in support of the United Nations ACTNOW for climate change campaign. Gareth Williams explains. |
Ministers announce £200m for new active travel schemes
16/05/2022 Active Travel England will oversee the delivery by local authorities of 134 active travel schemes, backed by £161m, across 46 council areas outside London. |
Low carbon approaches to road maintenance
05/05/2022 Rick Green talks about the findings of this year’s Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey regarding the measures being taken on the path to net zero asphalt. |
'Nutrient neutrality' rules are delaying up to 100,000 new homes
04/05/2022 Up to 100,000 new homes are being delayed due to new regulations around 'nutrient neutrality', according to new research. |
All shook up: redesigning Britain's energy system for Net Zero
04/05/2022 Polly Billington argues local leaders should be at the heart of rebuilding energy networks. |
Government struggles to assess scale of waste crime
27/04/2022 Defra does not have the data it needs to assess scale of waste crime and the incentives for criminals to enter the waste market have increased, auditors say. |
Meeting new water consumption targets
25/04/2022 Dr Glyn Hyett explains how water re-use systems can help local authorities avoid floods and droughts, and make carbon footprint savings at the same time. |
Council supply chains responsible for 10% of UK emissions
22/04/2022 Local authority supply chains are responsible for over 10% of UK carbon emissions, new research reveals. |
Newcastle had highest NO2 levels across Europe last month
19/04/2022 Newcastle upon Tyne had the highest levels of nitrogen dioxide levels last month out of all major cities across Europe, according to a new study. |
Inspiring local councils to take further action on net zero
13/04/2022 William Eichler finds out how councils are tackling the climate emergency, what success stories there have been, and what the barriers are to making progress. |
Councils call for producers to cover cost of littering
29/03/2022 Local authority leaders have called on the Government to ensure that producers pay to clear up litter rather than taxpayers. |
Ratio of public chargers to EVs ‘rapidly deteriorated’
24/03/2022 The ratio of public standard chargers to electric vehicles has ‘rapidly deteriorated’, the automotive industry has warned. |
What are the key considerations when rolling out a successful Clean Air Zone scheme?
18/03/2022 Chris Taylor shares five key considerations for local authorities when rolling out a successful Clean Air Zone scheme – no matter where they are on their journey. |
Government proposes new targets to protect environment
17/03/2022 New legal targets on air quality, nutrient pollution and water quality have been proposed by the Government as part of its Environment Act. |
Achieving a net zero future
14/03/2022 Stew Horne says local authorities must help move low carbon behaviour from the margins to the mainstream. |
Local authorities awarded £11.6m to improve air quality
10/03/2022 The latest round of Air Quality Grants have been awarded to local authorities across England to deliver projects to improve air quality. |
Khan hopes to expand Ultra Low Emission Zone across whole of London
07/03/2022 The Ultra Low Emission Zone could be expanded across all London boroughs by 2023 under plans announced over the weekend. |
London council launches community municipal investment for green projects
04/03/2022 Camden Council has launched the Camden Climate Investment in a bid to raise £1m to tackle climate change. |
Putting Brent’s residents at the heart of climate action
03/03/2022 Brent LBC introduced resident-led decision making on how to spend local money to cut carbon emissions. Shazia Hussain explains the thinking behind the trailblazing Participatory Budgeting approach. |
Is wind power the next step in reducing CO2 emissions?
02/03/2022 Martin Barnes discusses how increasing pressure on the public sector to commit to net zero could be eased through the utilisation of small wind. |
Council first to pilot real-time water quality testing
01/03/2022 Real-time testing on the quality of bathing water is being trialled for the first time in the UK by Havant Borough Council. |
The role of ‘citizen science’ in air monitoring
21/02/2022 LocalGov caught up with Claudio Parrinello, CEO and founder of PlanetWatch, to find how air quality monitoring is being disrupted on a global scale by leveraging advanced technologies and the power of communities. |
Bristol confirms September launch of charging CAZ
16/02/2022 Bristol's City Council has confirmed plans to launch its Clean Air Zone in September this year when motorists could be charged for entering the city centre. |
Council uses tree planting to encourage council tax e-billing
15/02/2022 Shropshire residents can now support tree planting efforts by opting to receive their council tax bills electronically, the local council has said. |
Campaigners warn planning system is 'destroying nature'
14/02/2022 The RSPB has called for urgent reforms to the planning system, arguing it is failing to protect nature in its current form. |
Every London hospital and care home surrounded by toxic air, research finds
04/02/2022 Every hospital and care home in London is in areas which exceed limits for toxic air pollution, new research has uncovered. |
Circular highways is a necessity not an aspiration – and it’s within our grasp
03/02/2022 Shell is helping power the journey towards a circular paving industry with Shell Bitumen LT R, a new product for roads that uses plastics destined for landfill as part of the additives to make the bitumen. |
Circular highways is a necessity not an aspiration – and it’s within our grasp
01/02/2022 Shell is helping power the journey towards a circular paving industry with Shell Bitumen LT R, a new product for roads that uses plastics destined for landfill as part of the additives to make the bitumen. |
Scotland back to dangerous levels of air pollution, data shows
01/02/2022 Air pollution in Scotland has once again breached legal limits following a historic low during lockdown, campaigners have revealed. |
A fifth of UK councils yet to publish climate action plan, research finds
27/01/2022 A fifth of councils have not published a plan to tackle climate change despite many declaring a climate emergency, new research has uncovered. |
Manchester backtracks on CAZ plans
21/01/2022 Plans to charge polluting vehicles to drive in the Greater Manchester area have been referred back to government by local leaders following a wave of protests. |
Creating net-zero public engagement
14/01/2022 Local Climate Engagement is a project to support local authorities or partnerships to plan, commission and deliver high quality public engagement in how best to reduce carbon emissions. Sarah Allan explains. |
Mayor Khan announces £600,000 fund to ‘rewild’ London
15/12/2021 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has launched a new fund to help restore wildlife sites and create more natural habitats for plants and animals across the capital. |
Working in partnership to respond to the climate crisis
14/12/2021 Clare Hayward explains why local public and private sector partnerships are essential in responding to the climate crisis. |
Report calls for a new net zero delivery authority
10/12/2021 The creation of a new net zero delivery authority would provide a more coordinated approach to meeting climate change targets, a new report has argued today. |
The UK's regional cities face a 'retrofit race'
07/12/2021 Jeff Pearey says the race is on to upgrade the office stock of our regional cities – otherwise local and combined authorities will struggle to hit their net zero commitments. |
Drive to decarbonise homes must ‘urgently move up the political agenda’
29/11/2021 The majority of MPs questioned in a recent YouGov survey do not believe Government policy goes far enough when it comes to the installation of renewable heating technologies for homes. |
Highways lifecycle planning will help reduce emissions in a tough financial climate
24/11/2021 Emily See explores how carbon-reduction demands are pressuring councils to improve highways lifecycle planning. |
Over one million homes at risk of flooding
23/11/2021 As many as 1.5 million households in the UK are at risk of flooding but are yet to take any action, the Environment Agency has said. |
Eleven UK cities named as global leaders on climate action
18/11/2021 Eleven UK cities have been recognised as global leaders for climate action and ambition. |
UN acknowledges children have right to clean air
17/11/2021 The United Nations (UN) has acknowledged that children have the right to breath clean air, a move which should help councils in their efforts to tackle pollution at the local level. |
Councils must battle inaction after announcing a climate emergency
15/11/2021 Gayle Monk outlines the key considerations councils must make to better address the situation. |
Leadership in a tough climate
11/11/2021 Leader of Glasgow City Council Susan Aitken says COP26 is the city’s chance to show how its own integrated approach can lead the world in ensuring a climate-resilient future. |
Councils warn investment in bus services is vital to meet climate targets
10/11/2021 The Government must fully fund the concessionary bus fares scheme if councils are to decarbonise fleets, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned. |
Greater Manchester plans carbon neutral transport network
09/11/2021 Greater Manchester has set out its ambition to become the first city-region with a carbon neutral transport network. |
Council plans to deliver thousands of on-street EV chargers by 2030
08/11/2021 West Sussex Council has unveiled plans to deliver nearly 10,000 on-street electric vehicle chargers, thought to be the largest deployment by a local authority. |
Local government needs £68bn to become net zero, report finds
08/11/2021 Local government will need an up-front investment of £68bn from Government in order to become net zero by 2035, according to a new report. |
Government allocates £200m Community Renewal Funding
04/11/2021 The Government has announced which projects will receive a share of the £200m Community Renewal Funding, and has given local authorities extra time to spend the money. |
Two thirds of local authorities have no EV charging plans, research finds
04/11/2021 Two thirds of local authorities have no plans in place to install electric vehicle charge points (EVCPs), research has revealed. |
How can local authorities meet net zero carbon by 2030?
29/10/2021 Niall Gibson explains how concepts such as Digital Twins and performance modelling software take control of carbon emissions. |
Government must engage with councils on climate action
29/10/2021 MPs have called for the Government to ‘immediately’ begin working with councils on setting out their role in reducing carbon emissions. |
250,000 babies born in toxic air hotspots, charities warn
28/10/2021 A baby is born in an area with dangerously polluted air every two minutes in the UK, new research has revealed. |
ULEZ expansion 'a lifeline for Londoners'
25/10/2021 As London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) sees a massive expansion, a think tank has called on mayor Sadiq Khan to go further and introduce a pay-per-mile road user charging scheme. |
What does local government hope to get from the Spending Review?
25/10/2021 From a a multi-year funding settlement to fixing the social care crisis, William Eichler explores what local government is hoping to hear on Wednesday. |
Accelerating local government’s transition to net zero with AI-enabled procurement
22/10/2021 Muhammad Malik explains how local government can harness AI technologies to streamline the cost of procuring renewable energy without impacting daily operations. |
A lot of hot air from government on air quality?
20/10/2021 Mark Nichols explains how live data on air quality can help councils identify areas of concern and what actions will be the most effective. |
Now is the time to support, inspire and empower our youth in addressing climate change
19/10/2021 David Ingham explains why the Pod (Wastebuster’s free school environmental education and campaign programme) and The Energy Saving Trust Foundation have joined forces in the run-up to COP26, to provide free support for schools and their students. |
Retrofitting risks ‘dangerous divide’
18/10/2021 Councils should have a role to play in avoiding widening regional inequalities when retrofitting housing, according to a new report today. |
Camden becomes latest council to consider climate bond
14/10/2021 The London Borough of Camden Council has announced plans to create climate bonds to fund environmental projects. |
Adaptation in danger of being ‘undercooked’ at COP26
13/10/2021 The importance of adapting local communities to make them more resilient in the face of the climate emergency is not being taken seriously enough, the Environment Agency today warned. |
Planning for a carbon zero fleet
04/10/2021 Tammy Carter explains how small changes to local government’s transport and travel strategy can help us reach carbon net zero. |
Council set to approve Clean Air Zone despite reservations
29/09/2021 Portsmouth City Council is set to discuss the start date of its Government-mandated Clean Air Zone (CAZ) despite its preference for other options to improve air quality. |
New research to help local authorities plan for a ‘just’ transition to net zero
28/09/2021 A new research project to discover how the UK’s transition to net zero will affect the poorest families and communities has been launched. |
Report sets out plan to reverse biodiversity decline by 2030
22/09/2021 A new report has set out nine changes that can be delivered by local government and other partners to reverse biodiversity decline by the 2030s. |
Green homes 'revolution' would give £9.8bn boost to UK economy, report argues
21/09/2021 A new strategy to decarbonise the UK's housing stock could create up to 138,600 new jobs and boost the economy by £9.8bn by 2030, according to a new report. |
Call to give councils the power to fight non-traffic air pollution
15/09/2021 Councils should be given tough new powers to tackle non-transport related pollution, according to a debate in the House of Lords this week. |
UK’s first Zero Emission Zone to launch next year
10/09/2021 Britain’s first Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ) pilot will take place in Oxford next February, it has been confirmed. |
Encouraging biodiversity in UK cities: Bee Bus Stops and more
07/09/2021 Will Ramage discusses how councils can use urban infrastructure to positively contribute towards biodiversity and climate resilience. |
Charity calls for hedgerows to be boosted by 40%
06/09/2021 The Government should set a target of increasing the hedgerow network by 40% by 2050 to create thousands more jobs and boost the economy, according to a countryside charity. |
The battle for sustainability will be won or lost in cities
01/09/2021 Ben Hudson outlines the importance cities will play on the climate crisis and how COVID-19 has taught us that health is a key mechanism for levelling-up in urban areas. |
Business rates system 'discourages shift to net zero'
31/08/2021 Small firms have written to the Government warning that the business rates system is a disincentive to invest in net zero and employee wellbeing measures. |
Over 100 councils pledge support for Bill aimed at cutting emissions
20/08/2021 Over 100 local authorities have pledged their support for a Bill aimed at reducing the UK’s carbon emissions and ecological footprint. |
Record levels of lithium discovered in Cornwall
12/08/2021 The energy company Geothermal Engineering Ltd (GEL) yesterday announced that it had discovered record levels of lithium in its geothermal waters. |
Only one third of planning authorities have access to ‘in-house’ ecologist
12/08/2021 A skills shortage in ecologists is a barrier to achieving biodiversity net gain goals, local authorities have warned. |
London boroughs react to the ‘intensifying’ climate crisis
11/08/2021 Council chiefs have called on the Government to champion their role in tackling the climate crisis after warnings that climate change was ‘intensifying’. |
Consultation on plans to support natural areas launched
11/08/2021 The Government yesterday launched a consultation on plans to help local communities better support their natural areas. |
Camden council launches world’s densest air quality sensor network
05/08/2021 The world’s densest air quality sensor network, which aims to fundamentally transform how air pollution is monitored and managed, will be installed in the London borough of Camden this summer. |
How key is procurement for reaching climate targets in local government?
02/08/2021 After hosting a first-of-its-kind event, Net Zero Week, Gavin Rimmington shares insight into why procurement is key for enabling the public sector to reach climate targets. |
Putting sustainability at the heart of local authority decisions
02/08/2021 Andy Wales outlines how BT can help public sector organisations achieve their green goals. |
MPs launch inquiry into local government and net zero
26/07/2021 A new inquiry examining the role local authorities should play in reaching net zero has been launched by MPs today. |
Councils in north east band together to plant 500 hectares of trees
21/07/2021 Six local authorities in the north east have joined forces with environmental organisations to plant a new forest. |
Public call on councils to do more to protect the natural environment
19/07/2021 Only a third of the UK public think local government is doing enough to protect and enhance the natural environment, a report has revealed today. |
Leaders call for new powers to tackle climate change
13/07/2021 A cross-party group of 32 mayors and local leaders have called for greater powers and resources to deliver net zero. |
Procurement and the challenges of decarbonising local government fleets
12/07/2021 Gavin Rimmington offers insight into the important role of procurement to decarbonising local government fleets, and the most efficient ways to enable large-scale transitioning. |
First shortlist unveiled for £120m zero emission buses funding
07/07/2021 The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced its first shortlist from the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme, providing £120m to support the roll-out of zero emission buses across England. |
Net zero could generate £330bn investment into UK, commission finds
02/07/2021 Meeting net zero in London and the UK’s Core Cities could bring up to £330bn of investment into the UK, new analysis has revealed. |
Glasgow first city to sign Circular Cities Declaration
02/07/2021 Glasgow has become the first city in the UK to sign the Circular Cities Declaration. |
Labour warns UK needs more than 127,000 chargepoints by 2025
29/06/2021 The UK has only 15% of the electric vehicle charging points it needs to meet net zero, according to new analysis. |
We must seize the opportunity to accelerate a circular economy
25/06/2021 Victoria Lawson argues that moving to a circular economy could tackle the climate crisis, shorten supply chains, support new green jobs and encourage more connected and resilient communities. |
Helping councils create greener construction sites
23/06/2021 Dave Luscombe explains how local authorities can help to deliver a cleaner construction environment, with ECV (Emissions Compliance Verification) for construction machinery. |
Burnham's Clean Air zone accused of having 'blind' spot towards air pollution
22/06/2021 Greater Manchester (GM) mayor Andy Burnham has ‘put local taxi drivers first’ by adding them to a list of vehicle operators who will initially be exempt from the region’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ), despite claims that it will ‘kick-start the city region's green revolution’. |
Local authorities competing for clean air
17/06/2021 Gavin Bailey argues the current Clean Air Zone mechanism is asking local authorities to fix a problem they simply cannot fix. |
Oxford-Cambridge Arc: environment actions not rhetoric
04/06/2021 Cllr Bridget Smith outlines the five Principles that will turn the Ox-Cam region into a ‘Green Arc.’ |
Charges for Birmingham's Clean Air Zone delayed for two weeks
02/06/2021 Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) finally went live on Monday, but with a two-week ‘soft launch period’ where no charges will be levied. |
It’s time for councils to step on the gas
01/06/2021 Chris Hampton explains how councils can decarbonise transport hubs with hydrogen and provides a quick guide on how to get started. |
Children call on local leaders to tackle air pollution
01/06/2021 Nearly half of British children believe local leaders should be helping to tackle air pollution, according to the results of a new survey. |
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. |
Ofgem announces £300m investment in charging infrastructure
24/05/2021 Ofgem today announced that it is investing £300m in new infrastructure to support the roll out of 1,800 ultra-rapid charging points at motorway service areas. |
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. |
Shell is helping power the journey towards a circular paving industry with Shell Bitumen LT R, a new product for roads that uses plastics destined for landfill as part of the additives to make the bitumen.
Effective Energy Group is now offering its support to the 40 Local Authorities who have received a share of the £430m to deliver their projects on the ground by surveying properties and installing measures.
Dougie Belmore explains how one of the main interfaces between you and Bacs is about to change.