Our Climate Emergency Action Plan
Westminster has some of the highest carbon emissions and worst air pollution in the UK. In response, we have set an emissions target for the city to reach net zero by 2040.
Our Climate Emergency Action Plan sets out comprehensive actions for reducing carbon emissions across the city, working in partnership with businesses, communities and residents. Read our Climate Emergency Action Plan, published in 2021:
Updated focus
We are in the process of updating our Climate Emergency Action Plan to reflect our progress and evolving understanding of how best to tackle the climate emergency. This includes recognising the interconnected social causes, impacts and solutions to environmental action.
Progress on our Climate Emergency Action Plan
Our most recent progress report reflects achievements made during 2021 and 2022. We are now preparing a second progress report to capture achievements from 2022 to 2024. This report will be published later this year.
In the meantime, here are some of our latest accomplishments:
Community engagement
- Convened the Westminster Citizens’ Climate Assembly in summer 2023. The assembly brought together 47 diverse residents to develop a set of actionable recommendations to the following question: "How can we overcome the main barriers to Westminster becoming a net zero city by 2040 together? How do we ensure this is delivered in the fairest way?". The assembly allowed residents from across Westminster to share ideas, perspectives, experiences and enable us to learn how we can best meet the challenges of the climate emergency. The assembly is informing our updates to the Climate Emergency Action Plan.
- Established the Citizens’ Climate Action Committee. This is an ongoing opportunity for Citizens’ Climate Assembly members and other interested residents to input on climate policy and project making, and support collective action across Westminster.
- Recruited 18 volunteer North Paddington Climate Champions in partnership with Paddington Development Trust. This aims to empower residents to make North Paddington a healthier, greener and more sustainable neighbourhood for all, recognising the power of local communities in responding to climate challenges.
- Developed climate delivery work programmes as part of the North Paddington Programme, focused on addressing climate vulnerability, reducing inequality, and mitigating the impacts of climate change on some of our most at risk communities.
Buildings and energy
- Provided energy advice and support to residents in fuel poverty. We've helped residents to improve the energy efficiency of their homes and manage their energy costs through the Home Energy Advice Service. 627 residents have received energy advice, including 283 household visits, between December 2023 and December 2024.
- Completed over 700 energy-efficiency improvements in council homes since 2021.
- Installed 500 kWh solar photovoltaic system (PV) at Warwick Low Rise and Avenue Gardens.
- Worked with Morgan Sindall Property Services, to develop a retrofit show home in Queen’s Park. This helped us test and demonstrate a wide range of retrofit measure, and helped to reduce heating energy use by over 50%.
- Consulted on a retrofit first policy to favour retrofit and refurbishment of existing buildings over unnecessary demolition and re-construction, and set whole life carbon standards where demolition is unavoidable. An amended policy has been submitted for independent examination by the Planning Inspectorate and is expected to be approved by the Secretary of State later in 2025.
- Established a Retrofit Taskforce, which drives strategic retrofit initiatives to meet our citywide 2040 net-zero target. External partners include a panel of independent industry experts, who offer technical and strategic input.
- Reached 90 signatories through our Sustainable City Charter, with an additional 2 associate members. Delivered in partnership with Westminster Property Association, we are supporting signatories to implement energy and sustainability commitments, and report on their progress annually.
- Worked with Westminster Adult Education Service, to establish the Green Live Learning Lab. This will bring families together with real-life sustainability learning. This project also aims to tackle the lack of diversity within the sustainability sectors. By involving children and families from under-represented communities we aim to foster an interest in careers in the green economy.
- Completed a Local Area Energy Plan for Westminster to identify the most effective pathway to a net zero energy system.
- Reduced emissions from our Corporate Properties by 19% through a range of energy efficiency measures including the installation of 12 solar PV projects.
Transport
- Alongside Veolia, we rolled out the UK’s largest electric refuse collection fleet. The electric vehicles charge their batteries by drawing electric power from an adjacent energy recovery facility which uses the waste collected from homes and businesses in Westminster.
- We have 2478 on-street electric vehicle (EV) charge points in Westminster, ranging from 5kW to 50kW. We have 2216 lamp column charge points, 231 fast chargers and 31 rapid chargers.
Green finance
- Launched the Westminster Green Investment initiative in 2023, raising £1million in 10 days for local sustainability projects including solar PV, LED lighting and a heat pump.
Environmental justice
- Developed a multi-award winning Environmental Justice Measure, which highlights the differences in how people are impacted by their environment and climate change. This has helped us inform where and how we invest in the local environment. We are the first local authority to create this type of data tool.
Greening and biodiversity
- We have declared an ecological emergency in 2023 and published a new Greening and Biodiversity Strategy in 2024. Some of our recent activity includes promoting No Mow May across the city, and banning glyphosate use across our streets, parks and housing estates to help halt the decline in biodiversity due to damaging pesticides. Our Greening and Biodiversity action plan will be launched later in 2025.
Read our 2021/22 progress summary below:
What’s next?
We will continue to refine our approach and work with residents, communities and businesses to co-produce solutions to address the climate emergency. Stay tuned for the release of our updated Climate Emergency Action Plan in 2025.
Links to other policies
Our Climate Emergency Action Plan is primarily focused on actions to reduce Greenhouse Gases, but links closely with a range of other council policies on connected areas, including:
