The Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission was formed in 2021 to accelerate our regional response to climate change and nature loss.

 

The aims of the Commission are to facilitate rapid decarbonisation, increase our region’s resilience to the impacts of climate change, protect and restore our natural environment and wildlife, and to do all this through just and fair actions that leave no one and nowhere behind.

During our first three years, we focused on improving awareness and understanding of climate change and the challenges we face, and on building capacity to address these challenges through growing our network across the region. Here are some of the things we achieved during that time.

Climate Action Plan Booklet Cover

Agreeing the direction

We launched the first Climate Action Plan for the region in November 2021. Developed in consultation with the public and experts from across the region, the plan was the first of its kind for Yorkshire and the Humber, and covered topics from energy, transport and infrastructure to nature, health and food. Through 50 actions to accelerate progress across the region, it provided a framework for positive decision-making. As the collective knowledge of the Commission has grown, the plan has evolved and an updated version was published in 2024.
A highlight for me was the launch of the original Climate Action Plan with a keynote address by YHCC Director Andy Gouldson at the first Yorkshire Climate Change Summit in partnership with the Yorkshire Post at the Royal Armouries in Leeds. The high profile event, which was attended by 150-200 people, got YHCC exclusive front page coverage in the Yorkshire Post (as well as inside pages and post-event coverage in a supplement) and was live-linked to the UNFCCC's COP 26 in Glasgow which was happening at the same time.
Kate Lock, YHCC Communications Lead

Building capacity

We built a regional network of nearly 300 people from senior decision-makers and world-leading scientists to community champions and youth activists. These people come from the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, bringing a range of beliefs and perspectives, and through the YHCC they are all agreed on one thing: the need to accelerate our response to climate change.

in numbers

A big success for me was developing and implementing a capacity building programme for local authorities to accelerate climate adaptation in their organisations. All 15 local authorities in the region were involved in the Climate Adaptation Programme for Local Authorities (CAPLA) and it was approved by the Yorkshire Leaders Board. The feedback at the end of phase one showed that the councils had progressed their climate adaptation journeys - developing plans for climate adaptation, developing or strengthening relationships for climate adaptation or embedding climate adaptation in their decision-making processes. The programme was so well received, councils requested it continue and we are now implementing phase two of the programme.
Muriel Bonjean Stanton, YHCC CAPLA Lead
Screenshots showing the faces of nearly 100 people speaking in online meetings

Setting the regional foundations

We hosted 22 Delivering Impact sessions, each exploring a focused topic around climate change or nature loss. Over the course of the programme, we heard from 82 experts, and in each session the expert presentations were followed by an open discussion with Commission members to interrogate the challenges and agree positive ways forward. The programme upskilled Commissioners and members of the Commission network, equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to bring more insight into their own networks and organisations. Following each session, a summary paper was created as a regional perspective on the topic. These papers formed a useful foundation of knowledge summarising complex climate-related topics to help guide climate action across sectors, industries and geographical borders.

in numbers

It wasn't just the achievement of launching consultations around 20 different papers on different (and complex) topics, the associated transparency/accountability, and the number of contributions received (>1,500) - but the way we listened and learnt, and our approach gradually evolved to one that was grounded more in inclusivity and accessibility using 'talking head' videos, animations, clearer language and more engaging consultation titles.
DI Programme Engagement Lead

Breaking through siloes

As well as regularly bringing together Commissioners and our wider network members to collaborate across sectors, we formed key strategic partnerships within the region including the Association of Directors for Public Health, local and combined authorities, Yorkshire Universities and the Place-based Climate Action Network. The people in our network come from a wide range of backgrounds and organisations enabling knowledge sharing, productive debate and collaborative action that crosses sectors and geographical boundaries.
I'm really proud of the partnerships we've built. Our work with the Regional Youth Climate Assembly, leading to a 'Youth In Charge' approach to our annual Commission event put young people's voices front and centre in a way that regional leaders valued. And the relationship we've developed with Supergen has created a powerful connection between leading academic research and real world impact.
Kat Armstrong, YHCC Decarbonisation Lead
Our Regional Policy Forum has really grown and it's great to see how much people value it. Local authority officers and elected members from across the region come together in a constructive, safe space to share experiences, support each other and discuss climate policy issues with a range of experts. To be able to do that across political and geographical boundaries is something we think is unique. Our thematic workshops and regular meetings are always well attended and our factsheets now reach a mailing list of around 180 people.
Andrew Wood, YHCC Policy Lead

The cause, not just the symptoms

Since 2021, the YHCC has been working to address the systemic causes of climate change and nature loss. Achieving positive change means understanding the wider impacts and opportunities of our actions. From the foundations we laid in our first three years, the four pillars of climate action we identified and the knowledge base we now have, we have been able to secure funding for the YHCC through to 2030. We are hugely grateful, and incredibly proud, of everyone who has contributed to the YHCC’s impact and success to date.

As we progress the next phase of our work, we are focusing our energy on projects that have the potential to deliver systems level change and transformational progress across the Yorkshire and Humber region and beyond. In addressing these challenges there are actions we can all take – in our personal and professional lives, we welcome you to get involved and become part of the solution with us.