Climate change action

We're committed to tackling climate change and making Preston net zero by 2030...

Climate change is the long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns. Although this happens naturally over thousands of years, we as humans are accelerating this process dramatically through practices such as the burning of fossil fuels (e.g. coal, oil and natural gas) to create energy, which release large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere and rises global temperatures.

Effects of climate change - UK

The effects of continued rising temperatures and extreme weather will cause a substantial threat to our economy, public health, resources, infrastructure and natural environment through:

• Warmer, wetter winters and higher volumes of rainfall throughout the year resulting in greater risks of local flooding 
• Hotter, drier summers that will affect water availability and the quantity and quality of UK produced food, cause damages to buildings and infrastructure and increase heat related illnesses
• Sea levels rises of up to 40cm by the end of the century leading to further coastal erosion and flood risks
• Less predictable extreme weather events such as storms and droughts 
• Loss of biodiversity and ecosystem on a large-scale that is already taking place globally. This is as much of an ecological emergency as it is a climate one

Data from the Met Office - UK Climate Projections 18 (UKCP18) shows that northern England is around 11% wetter today than between 1961-1990 and the top 10 warmest years on record have been since 1990. In Preston, summer temperatures have now reached over 30C over the last 3 years and this is likely to become more common and for longer periods.

Net Zero Carbon 2030

Preston City Council declared a climate emergency in April 2019. The Council pledged that its own activities would be net zero carbon by 2030 and that it would use its leadership and influence in the city to work with others towards making the district of Preston zero carbon by the same date.

Climate Action Plan

To help ensure we reduce our carbon emissions to net zero goal by 2030, we are committed to developing, adopting and implementing a Climate Action Plan to establish clear, measurable actions for the Council to take to reduce the effect of our operations and services on the environment.

The plan will outline:

• How the Council can decarbonise their own properties and activities
• How the Council will work with others to influence and inspire partners across the district, county and region to decarbonise their properties and activities

In the interim, we have produced a Climate Action Statement (PDF, 3 MB) outlining what we're doing as a council. To find out what you can do to support us in our aim to become net zero and how you as a resident, business or organisation can reduce your carbon footprint see get involved.

People's Climate Jury

To help us reach our Net Zero Carbon target, in early 2024 Preston will launch a People's Climate Jury, which will provide 30 Preston residents with a chance to have their say on how we tackle climate change across the city and make recommendations to local leaders about how the city should act in response.