MANCHESTER NAMED A ‘CLIMATE ACTION LEADER’ ON CDP A LIST FOR SECOND YEAR IN A ROW
Manchester is one of 119 cities to receive the top score on climate action from environmental impact non-profit, CDP in 2023.
A-List cities build climate momentum, taking 4 times as many climate mitigation and adaptation measures as non-A Listers.
Only 13% of cities that were scored in 2023 received an A score.
Manchester has been recognised by CDP as a city that is taking bold leadership on environmental action and transparency, despite the pressures of a challenging global economic situation.
Designed to encourage and support cities to ramp up their climate action and ambition, CDP’s A List is based on environmental data disclosed by cities to CDP-ICLEI Track.
A clear momentum in city climate disclosure and action is building – 939 cities received a rating for their climate action from CDP in 2023, of which, 119 cities (13%) scored by CDP received an A.
For Manchester, this is the second year in a row that the city has received the top score on climate action.
To score an A, among other actions, a city must disclose publicly through CDP-ICLEI Track, have a city-wide emissions inventory, and have published a climate action plan. It must complete a climate risk and vulnerability assessment and have a climate adaptation goal to demonstrate how it will tackle climate hazards.
Cllr Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Environment, said: "While national government is rowing back from its climate change commitments, it's more important than ever that cities such as Manchester show leadership and determination in tackling this challenge of our age.
This listing is recognition of good work which has been done across the city but while it is encouraging, we are under no illusion that there is a great deal still to be done to ensure Manchester plays its full part in global efforts to tackle climate change."
A List cities demonstrate their climate leadership through concerted and effective action, just as national governments will be asked to do at COP28. They are taking four times as many mitigation and adaptation measures as non-A List cities.
Manchester, and the other 118 cities on this year’s A List, is celebrated for showing that urgent and impactful climate action is achievable.
The Manchester Climate Change Agency, in collaboration with the Manchester Climate Change Partnership, is responsible for setting Manchester’s science-based, climate change targets – to reach zero carbon by 2038 at the latest whilst staying within a 15m tCO2 carbon budget – and for tracking the city’s progress against them.
They also champion and catalyse climate action in the city, convening stakeholders from across the public, private and voluntary sectors to work in partnership to accelerate action. You can read more in our latest Impact Report.
Mike Wilton, Chair of the Manchester Climate Change Partnership said: “For the second year, Manchester’s work in partnership to address the causes of climate change, get us ready for more extreme weather, and create the green jobs of the future has been judged the equal of global cities such Tokyo, Paris, and New York. There are challenges ahead, but it shows that we are on the right path to achieve the city’s ambition to become a thriving, green, climate resilient city.”