Tackling climate action today, tomorrow and together.
Greater Manchester is adopting a clear and ambitious approach to climate action, driven by the science and evidence but with individual, community, industry and institutional action at its heart.
An approach that recognises the role we can all play in taking action to reduce carbon emissions and improve our environment and one that champions collective endeavour, partnership, innovation and positive action.
Where we all take action. Making better choices, smarter swaps, buying and consuming more consciously, replacing, re-using or reducing. Investing in and embracing more sustainable businesses, organisations, lives and lifestyles, today, tomorrow and together.
Greater Manchester has a history of industrial and people powered action. And we want to make Greater Manchester one of the best places in the world to grow up, get on in life and grow old. The Five Year Environment Plan brings together, and is a key part of, a set of bold plans for achieving that for our current and future generations. It sets out what we all need to do to tackle those challenges and make the most of the opportunities and benefits that will come from us all taking action.
Our vision…
We want Greater Manchester to be a clean, carbon neutral, climate resilient city-region with a thriving natural environment and circular, zero-waste economy where:
Our infrastructure will be smart and fit for the future: we will have an integrated, clean and affordable public transport system, resource efficient buildings, greater local community renewable energy, cleaner air, water and greenspace for all.
All citizens will have access to green space in every community, more trees including in urban areas, active travel networks, environmental education and healthy and locally-produced food.
Citizens and businesses will adopt sustainable living and business practices, focusing on local solutions to deliver a prosperous economy.
Our aims…
Mitigating climate change – For our city region to be carbon neutral by 2038 and meet carbon budgets that comply with international commitments.
Air quality – To improve our air quality, meeting World Health Organisation guidelines on air quality by 2030 and supporting the UK Government in meeting and maintaining all thresholds for key air pollutants at the earliest date.
Consumption and production – To put us on a path to being a circular economy, recycling 65% of our municipal waste by 2035 and reducing the amount of waste we produce.
Natural environment – To protect, maintain and enhance our natural environment for all our benefit, taking steps to implement and achieve environmental net gain.
Resilience and adaptation – To be prepared for the impacts of climate change and already be adapting to the future changes from any increase in climate shocks and stresses.
The Five Year Environment Plan
We face major environmental challenges that threaten the health and prosperity of our region. Greater Manchester is taking action with the 5-Year Environment Plan, launched at in March 2019 during the second Greater Manchester Green Summit.
The plan sets out our long-term environmental vision – to be carbon neutral by 2038 – and the urgent actions we all need to take in the next 4 years to help achieve this.