What we're campaigning for

Friends of the Earth is calling for local councils to:

• Commit to cutting emissions in their area
  by at least 40 percent by 2020
• Produce an action plan
  showing how they'll make the cuts.

But the Government must make sure every council does its bit to tackle climate change.

We're calling for every council to have a local carbon budget - that's a budget limiting the carbon their area can emit.

The budgets must be set in line with what the climate science calls for and met by every council.

But councils need proper support from Government to meet their carbon budgets, including more money to fund green projects and specialist advice from the Committee on Climate Change.

With proper support councils can get on with fitting green energy, insulating our homes and improving public transport.

More information

Our reports and briefings explain:

• Why local action to cut CO2 is crucial
• How councils can cut carbon and help their communities
• What Government must do to ensure all councils act on climate.

Key briefings:  

Introducing Get Serious About CO2
Why we're calling for every council to do its bit to tackle climate change.

Local Carbon Budgets
Why every council should have local carbon budget, and how they should work.

Reports:

Getting serious about climate change
How councils can cut carbon, create jobs and save cash.

Report summary: Create jobs, save cash, cut carbon.  

Cutting carbon locally - and how to pay for it.
Independent research that shows:

• How pioneering councils have cut carbon - and where the funding came from.
  Arup
• How to change the system so councils are more able to raise the money to cut carbon.
  Professor Tony Travers, LSE.

Pathways to 40 percent carbon reductions
Modelling by Carbon Descent that shows how different types of councils can cut CO2 by 40 percent by 2020.

New Research: Pathways to 40% carbon reductions
New research showing how Feed-in Tariffs dramatically improves the economics of the pathways to 40% research.

This updated briefing summaries the research and its results and methodology.

Transforming the UK's Energy System
This report, written by renewable energy experts at the University of Sussex, shows the UK can produce 15 per cent of its energy from renewables by 2020.

Fit for the Future
A report showing the impact of the Feed in Tariff on the financial performance of small-scale renewables.

Local energy

Getting Serious About Green Energy
How councils can bring down emissions using local low carbon and renewable energy. 

Local Transport

Getting Serious About Transport
What your council needs to know about how to cut CO2 from transport.

Briefing: Local Transport Act 2008
How it misses the opportunity to make councils cut carbon.

Local Transport Plans guidance for councils
Friends of the Earth's response to the Government's consulatation.

Press releases

See all press releases