The COP 26 summit in Glasgow will soon be over, diplomats, delegates and negotiators going home with net-zero pledges and multi-lateral agreements stuffed in their back pockets. This can leave us, the average person, at a loss as to what we can do that would be significant and worthwhile compared to the goals of these global juggernauts.  

But today COP26 is focusing on one of the most urgent and important parts of the transition to a sustainable future, today is ‘Cities, Regions and Built Environment Day’. This is because national governments must work with the local regions and urban areas in their countries to encourage ‘deep collaboration’ towards net-zero and nature’s recovery.  Not everything can be managed at a national level and it is locally that we all have the most power and influence to enact real change! 

Many local areas are already taking action and we continue to work very closely with them to meet our climate change commitments

- Eddie Hughes (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) 

Acting local is THE way that we turn this crisis around 

It might surprise you just how influential your local council can be. From issues such as land use and planning, implementing ‘nature recovery networks’ and green spaces, rewilding public land or even cutting down pesticide use, your council has the ability to make change if we demand it. 

If we are going to turn around these interconnected nature and climate emergencies we need immediate action from our political representatives. The single best thing that they can do right now is to declare a ‘Nature emergency’, alongside their climate goals to help reverse the stunning declines in our natural world. Nature is one of our best allies in fighting the climate crisis so restoring wildlife rich spaces is win-win, for nature and for us.

By recognising we are in a crisis and committing to create a strategy, targets and an action plan for nature’s recovery locally, councils can be part of the change to halt and reverse declines in wildlife and restore a healthy natural environment for people and wildlife.

Tell your council they need to act now!   

Your council declaring an nature emergency is a vital way to kickstart local nature recovery and our voices are stronger when we work together to campaign for change.   

One of the ways we can get councils to declare an nature emergency is to ask councillors to propose it as a motion at a council meeting. Then the real work can begin once the council has voted to acknowledge the emergency we are in! We need your help to make that happen! Councillors represent local people in their ward and are more likely to propose a motion if they know they have the support and backing of their local community.   

COP isn’t just about the countries and nations. It is about people working together, wherever they are, for change. Be part of that change right now.