Climate Action Pledge
Pledge a simple commitment to acting on climate and nature
The Yorkshire & Humber Climate Action Pledge can be taken by any organisation in the region, whether you are already taking steps to act on climate and nature or just starting out.
The pledge is a public commitment that your organisation will commit to taking action that 1) helps protect your organisation and stakeholders from climate impacts, 2) contributes to rapid emissions reduction, 3) protects and restores nature, and 4) ensures a just and fair transition that leaves no one and nowhere behind.
Taking the pledge is simple. We will direct you to useful resources and shared learnings, invite you to events and networking opportunities, and ask you about your progress towards the four goals.
Scroll on for FAQs and to take the pledge.
Climate action pledge
FAQS
The impacts of the climate and ecological emergencies are already being felt in our region. Extreme weather like flooding and heatwaves has damaged premises and hit productivity and will do so with increasing frequency and intensity in the years to come – so every business in Yorkshire and the Humber needs to get climate ready. By signing the Climate Action Pledge, you are sending a clear message to your customers, clients and staff that you are a responsible organisation determined to make a positive difference.
The Climate Action Pledge can be taken by any organisation across our region, from SMEs to large businesses, and from local third sector bodies to NHS Trusts.
Organisational leaders are invited to read the wording of the pledge and sign the commitment on behalf of their organisation to progress the action needed for climate and nature.
After signing the pledge, businesses and organisations will be asked about their progress so far in tackling climate and nature issues. This helps us to understand where good progress is being made and where more support is needed.
Pledge signatories are listed on the Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission website, and the Commissions team will periodically check in with signatories to ask about progress, link organisations to each other for collaborative opportunities and share the latest knowledge on regional action. We want to celebrate successes, and invite signatories to share the interventions and initiatives that are already having positive impact so we can communicate these to other pledge signatories and the Commission’s wider network.
Pledge signatories will be alerted to useful events or resources and invited to input into the wider work being carried out by the Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission.
The Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission will signpost signatories to existing support services and tools. If businesses or organisations have questions, we’ll do our best to answer – or to find someone who can.
We are also developing opportunities for business engagement and networking, to share best practice from around the region and encourage peer support.
Many climate pledge schemes focus on cutting carbon emissions. This is important, but it’s not the full story. The Yorkshire & Humber Climate Action Pledge asks organisations to prepare for the impacts of climate change, and to help tackle our nature crisis. We also ask that any action for climate and nature contributes to a fair and just region for all.
The pledge is about working together for Yorkshire and the Humber, to help make sure our region is climate ready and able to take advantage of the opportunities of a greener economy. It encourages organisations to consider how their actions can influence the people and partners they work with, and places they work in – cascading impacts from organisation to organisation as well as business to community across our region.
The Climate Action Pledge is a public commitment to taking action that aims to create a movement for change. It is neither an assessment nor an accreditation. The pledge is focused on growing the number of organisations acting for climate and nature; connecting people who can collaborate and support each other in overcoming barriers; signposting to good resources and accurate information; and deepening and broadening positive action over time.
All organisations have a role to play, so we encourage all organisations to make a commitment. The pledge is not a certification scheme and signing the Pledge does not mean endorsement by the Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission.
Climate change impacts and loss of nature affect everyone. By taking the pledge, organisations are accountable to communities, customers, employees and other stakeholders for following through on commitments made.
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Climate Action Pledge
