Westmorland and Furness Council is continuing to build momentum on its journey towards a greener, more sustainable future, marking more than a year of progress made through its Climate Change Action Plan.
Since adopting Part Two of its Climate Change Action Plan in January 2024, the Council has continued to embed climate action across all areas of its work - from the way services are delivered, to how decisions are made - to help the area reach net zero by 2037, and the council itself as soon as possible.
The Plan sets out a five-year programme of actions across six key themes: the way we live, the way we work, the way we produce energy, the way we protect and enhance nature, the way we use things, and the way we travel.
The Climate Action Plan was designed to be a living document, reviewed regularly and updated annually to ensure actions remain relevant and responsive. Over the past year, the Council has undertaken its first annual review and update, assessing progress, refining actions and strengthening its focus on delivery.
Across 2024/25, significant steps have been taken under each of the Plan’s six themes including:
- Over £375,000 of grants awarded to 21 businesses in Eden to assess and reduce carbon emissions related to their activities and operations, funded through the Greening Eden Businesses Scheme (GEBS).
- The launch of the Greening Businesses Scheme in 2024, building on the success of GEBS, to continue to support businesses across Westmorland and Furness understand their carbon emissions through free carbon audits.
- The implementation of fleet management software which will monitor the Council’s usage and mileage, and provide optimised routes.
- The trialling of dark skies ‘switch off’ campaigns in towns and villages across Westmorland and Furness.
- Installation of a range of sustainable measures at our leisure centres to improve energy performance such as solar panels and triple glazing.
- The launch of the Council’s ambitious One Tree per Resident initiative which aims to ensure the planting of a quarter of a million trees over five years, with over 44,000 planted to date.
- Over £570,000 of funding allocated to Futureproof Cumbria to deliver the Westmorland and Furness Green Enterprise Hub which supported local organisations on their journey towards decarbonisation and sustainability.
These steps have been supported by the agreement of several key strategies and delivery plans including the Carbon Management Strategy, Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy, Nature Strategy, Cumbria Local Nature Recovery Strategy, Fleet Decarbonisation and Replacement Strategy, and Sustainable Buildings Strategy. A Climate Adaptation Strategy is also due to be published early next year.
Councillor Giles Archibald, Cabinet Member for Climate, Biodiversity and Environmental Services, said:
“The past year has seen real progress in delivering our Climate Action Plan and embedding sustainability across all aspects of our work. We have moved from planning to delivery - putting in place the strategies, partnerships and practical steps needed to cut emissions and protect our natural environment.
“Our annual review of the Climate Action Plan shows that we are on the right track, but we know there is much more to do. Being ecologically aware is one of our core values and it underpins everything we do as a council.”
Partnership working has remained central to progress, with the Council continuing to collaborate with a wide range of partners. This includes:
- The Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership to enable them to continue their work driving towards net zero in Cumbria.
- The Love Windermere Partnership to help improve and protect Windermere’s water quality.
- Futureproof Cumbria, Cumbria Tourism and three partner businesses to support research into rural net zero using funding from the Innovate UK Net Zero Living programme.
- North Pennines National Landscape and the Cumbria Peat Partnership to restore over 100 hectares of peatland.
Alongside this, the Council is working closely with town and parish councils, ensuring that communities and organisations across the area remain part of a shared effort to tackle climate change.
Councillor Archibald, added:
“Climate change remains the defining challenge of our time, but it is also an opportunity to create a healthier, greener and more resilient Westmorland and Furness. Working with our partners and communities, we are committed to maintaining momentum and leading the way towards our shared ambition of net zero by 2037.”
Over the last year, the Council has also been recognised for its work and commitment to net zero and decarbonisation through the winning of several prestigious national awards including the UK Green Business Awards (Green Building Project of the Year and Net Zero Strategy of the Year) and the 2025 Green Energy Awards (Local and Public Sector Net Zero Transformation Award), and the shortlisting of others including the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards.
As the Council looks to the year ahead, the focus will remain on delivery, translating plans into tangible results, monitoring progress and continuing to support residents, businesses and communities to take action on climate change.
