Manchester communities are set to pioneer new approaches to tackle the climate emergency thanks to In Our Nature, an initiative that has been awarded £2.5m from The National Lottery Community Fund.  

The funding will help residents deliver over 50 community-led projects to reduce carbon emissions and introduce urban greening and nature-based solutions.   

In Our Nature brings together a delivery partnership made up of Manchester Climate Change Agency, Hubbub, Groundwork Greater Manchester, Amity CIC, The Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, who will work alongside Manchester City Council’s Neighbourhood Team.  

Actions will be designed to tackle not only climate change, but also other day to day challenges that many people are facing. These include reducing C02 emissions and saving money on household bills by making the most of energy at home, looking at ways to reduce road traffic in favour of heathier and greener modes of transport and enhancing local green spaces by encouraging local food growing, increasing access to nature and mitigating the impact of flooding and other symptoms of climate change.       

Polling from the initiative has found that over half of Manchester residents think about climate change regularly or frequently, yet one in three don’t know how and where to find practical tips to help them live more sustainably.

Samantha Nicholson, Director at Manchester Climate Change Agency said: 

“This National Lottery funding for In Our Nature presents an opportunity to make a huge difference to the everyday lives of Manchester residents. Not only will the projects tackle climate change, but many will also have the added benefit of helping people save money in the face of the rising cost of living crisis.” 

Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Manchester City Council’s Exec Member for Environment, said: 

“This Summer’s weather has brought home the reality of the climate emergency and the people of Manchester have a vital role to play in tackling this. We are looking forward to working with all residents to help them cut their climate impact and save money alongside reaching the city’s target of zero carbon by 2038, at the latest.” 

Photo: In Our Nature