2022 UPDATE OF THE MANCHESTER CLIMATE CHANGE FRAMEWORK
Manchester has not been reducing its direct emissions by the targeted 13% per year and so we are not currently on track to stay within our carbon budget and are at risk of missing our first milestone: to reduce the city’s direct emissions by 50% by 2025.
The purpose of this 2022 Update to the Framework is to:
Present the findings of detailed modelling done to identify granular targets for reducing the city’s direct emissions by 50%, to help us stay within our carbon budget.
Provide an overview of ongoing work carried out in support of the Framework’s other headline objectives, notably on adaptation to climate change.
Recommend specific actions for delivery at local, regional, and national level by government and the wider public sector, private companies and third sector organisations, and communities and individuals, that will support our transition to a zero carbon and climate resilient city.
The Update highlights the co-benefits of climate action including their potential to help us improve the health and wellbeing our communities and increase the inclusivity, productivity, and sustainability of our economy.
It emphasises the principle of a just transition to zero carbon, one that ensures all of Manchester’s residents are protected from the impact of climate change, that actions to help the transition to a zero carbon and climate resilient city do not have a negative impact on the most vulnerable people, and that the costs of change do not fall unevenly on those that are least able to afford them.
The 2022 Update is an urgent call to action for everyone in Manchester to increase the pace and scale of their own activity and to reach out and support and collaborate with others to help achieve the city’s goals. It identifies the following key messages:
Urgent action is needed to reduce direct emissions from our buildings and ground transport, and to increase renewable energy generation, if Manchester is to stay within its carbon budget.
Decisive action is needed to assess the city’s vulnerability to climate change and to ensure we are adapting our infrastructure, buildings, economy, and residents to be resilient to a changing climate.
Everyone has a role to play – individuals, organisations, local and national government – and there is a great deal we have the power to achieve locally, if we work collaboratively.
The cost of transitioning to a zero carbon, climate resilient city cannot be borne solely by the public purse, so we need to find innovative ways to unlock private finance investment.
Tackling the climate crisis brings opportunities to deliver wider strategic ambitions, including improving people’s health, reducing fuel and food poverty, creating new jobs and economic growth, and delivering a greener city for everyone.
You can find further information about the Manchester Climate Change Framework 2020-25 here.