Gathering celebrates local climate action successes across Yorkshire and the Humber 

Climate partnerships and organisations from across Yorkshire and the Humber came together in Bradford last month for the annual Commissions Gathering to celebrate successes, share learning, and hear about regional progress and initiatives. 

A hundred and fifty delegates signed up for the capacity event at Bradford’s iconic Midland Hotel on 24 September for a day of workshops, talks, and a tour of the city centre, followed by an immersive evening performance featuring real-life stories from the 2015 Boxing Day floods in Leeds.  

Hosted by Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission, the gathering provided a unique opportunity for place-based climate partnerships to swap ideas and share insights and experiences. Commissioners from Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission were joined by members of Barnsley Positive Climate Partnership, Calderdale Climate Action Partnership, Just Transition Wakefield, Kirklees Climate Commission, Leeds Climate Commission, Climate Action Leeds, Lincoln Climate Commission, and York Climate Commission, as well as representatives from the business community, local authorities and academia. 

Agenda themes

Rosa Foster, Director of Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission, said: “We are so delighted with how the day went. It was a really full agenda and there was so much energy throughout the day with people making great connections and committing to work together. 

“We focused on three themes during the day: the power of language and importance of co-design; working effectively within current policy frameworks now, and how to drive change positively and constructively for the future. 

“We explored different economic growth narratives, learning how they contradict or complement each other – and how we can work with them effectively; we heard from community groups across the region about what co-design approaches have worked best for them and why; and we discussed what the drivers are for unlocking public finances for major infrastructure projects and how to describe the benefits effectively.  

“We also trained people to deliver workshops using our Weather Narratives toolkit and Pam’s Story (about a fictional person living in the future coping with climate impacts). And we tested some toolkits and frameworks, including our Good Futures Framework, which will help us all make and ask for better decision-making processes, the new Positive Social Tipping points framework, and the Britain Talks Climate and Nature 2025 toolkit, as well as getting insights from the latest Climate Action Scorecards from Climate Emergency UK.” 

Bold action

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council, gave a keynote address on the power of having a strong vision and place-based leadership. Talking about the need to take bold action, she cited the city’s clean air zone and the measurable health benefits it has already achieved. 

She said: “We did a huge amount on this agenda thinking about how to make a fairer transition for all our residents. But it’s also great to learn from other people from other parts of the region about what they’re doing.

“We are swapping information and using the talent we’ve got in the region to really progress together.” 

Kersten England, Chair of Trustees for Bradford 2025 and the Young Foundation, gave a second keynote which focused on the importance of collaborating across the region, across sectors and with communities.  

She said: “The climate agenda is a real, urgent and pressing issue for us here, right across the region. Our communities are at the sharp end of dealing with climate emergency right now, and none of us can solve this problem on our own. 

“Being in it together, bringing lived experience, expertise, means and capabilities is a really powerful combination. Never underestimate the power of a coalition of the willing.” 

Celebrating success

Cllr Katie Dye, Chair of Leeds Climate Commission, introduced eight success stories from across Yorkshire and the Humber, illustrating the range of action from businesses, communities, faith groups and through cultural initiatives, citizen science, start ups and more. 

She said: “The examples had been picked really well to showcase things that were happening, to help nature, to help the environment, help physical adaptation, to help mitigation work. There was so much enthusiasm, some funny stories, some worrying stories, some really heartening examples. Nobody can do it on their own. It’s a job for all of us, and that was a really big part of the day.” 

Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission Chair Asif Husain-Naviatti, who introduced and closed the event, stressed the importance of using sound evidence to communicate effectively whilst reflecting people’s priorities, building collaborations and strengthening connections. 

He said: “It’s so important that we were all able to come together. We had 150 leaders in the room today, representing a vast array of regional leadership on climate across sectors. 

“It was a tremendous opportunity for collaboration and learning. It really does emphasise that we are truly gathering momentum on climate, with a shared sense of common purpose. We are one huge team and we all have a tremendous amount to contribute.” 

Follow @yorkshire_humber_climate_comm on Instagram to watch reels and stories from the day