The UK’s local elections saw the Green Party gain 440 councillors across England and win its first two elected mayors. They will join many councillors from all parties who will have to confront the same question: what can any one local authority actually do about climate change?

If they ask what they are required to do, the answer is: surprisingly little. In the UK’s highly centralised system, most responsibility lies with central government. Local authorities in England have no specific climate duties or targets – even though they have asked for them.

Ask instead what councils can do, and the answer is very different. Powers over things such as planning, business development, transport and social care, open up a huge range of opportunities to contribute to climate action. There are hundreds of initiatives driven or supported by local politicians which could provide vital inspiration to newly elected councillors.

Global problem, local action

For instance, local authorities across Cambridgeshire have worked together on a plan to boost home energy efficiency, providing help and funding to householders to fit heat pumps, cut energy use and bills, and creating green jobs.

The Robin is a new transport service in rural Gloucestershire that can be booked on demand, to fill in gaps in formal transport........

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