Across the UK, councils are taking on the challenge of tackling climate change – preparing for impacts like extreme heat and flooding while looking to transform their communities into healthier, greener, and more resilient places to live. In May 2019, Wakefield Council declared a climate emergency, setting a clear goal: carbon neutrality for the council by 2030 and Net Zero emission for the district by 2038.
Achieving sustainability isn’t just about reducing emissions—it’s about creating places where everyone thrives. This means addressing the root causes of the climate crisis, working with the co-benefits of climate action, and ensuring every voice, especially those furthest from power, are part of the solution.
Wakefield’s coal mining heritage is a source of pride for local people, shaping its identity and fostering strong community values. For generations, coal powered local industries contributed to national prosperity, though these industries also played a role in shaping the environmental challenges we face today. Now, Wakefield has the opportunity to lead the way in creating innovative net zero solutions, honouring its past while building a greener, more sustainable future for all.
Too often, climate solutions are made without the people who will be most affected. That’s why Wakefield Council is committed to involving everyone. Through Citizen Visioning workshops, residents will collaborate to create a shared vision for a greener, healthier future where everyone thrives.
As part of Innovate UK’s Net Zero Living programme, Involve, Forum for the Future, Ipsos and Quantum Strategy & Technology are running Climate Visioning sessions in Wakefield and District. These sessions are designed to bring together a diverse group of residents to shape the district’s climate future. The key question driving these discussions is:
"How do we build on our district’s rich history and cultural diversity to shape a thriving, healthy, and greener place to live?"
In collaboration with the Sortition Foundation, 22 residents will be randomly selected through a Civic Lottery to represent the full diversity of Wakefield’s population. These residents will come together for three full days of deliberations, learning about Net Zero and how we can all play a part in achieving it. Through their collective input, they will create a shared vision for the future, complete with actionable recommendations for how the council, local businesses, and communities can collaborate to reach these goals.
The ideas and recommendations generated from these sessions will feed directly into Wakefield’s Climate Change Action Plan and District Plan—ensuring that these plans reflect the real needs and desires of the people who live here.
Engaging Young Minds for a Greener Future
Children and young people are key to the climate movement, as they will inherit the world we build today. That's why we’re also running School Engagement sessions in three schools across the district. These sessions will help students understand the co-benefits of local climate action and give them a platform to share their vision for a thriving, healthy, and greener Wakefield.
In addition, we’re developing lesson plans and activities to create an ongoing dialogue between children, young people, and the council.
Sharing Progress and Inspiring Action
The final vision and recommendations will be shared publicly, giving everyone the opportunity to see how the ideas of residents, young people, and the wider community are shaping Wakefield’s climate future.
The insights from the Visioning process will also be shared at Wakefield Council’s Net Zero Event in June 2025. This event will bring together key actors, partners, and residents from across the district. This event will explore critical topics like the circular economy, funding opportunities, decarbonisation strategies, and the co-benefits of climate action. It will also serve as a celebration of the good practices already happening across the district.
For more information about the project, please get in touch with Linnéa: [email protected]