Bristol’s Community Climate Action project is a pioneering and bold five-year project, championing fair community-led climate action across the city. The project is coordinated by Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership, and is being delivered in collaboration with Centre for Sustainable Energy and Bristol City Council, and the climate action partners: Bristol Energy Network, Sustrans, Praxis, and Avon Wildlife Trust.

For Phase 1 of the project, during 2022, six community organisations, representing some of Bristol’s most disadvantaged communities, co-produced the city’s first community climate action plans with and for their communities. The plans demonstrate the leadership role of communities in the city’s response to the climate crisis whilst also improving the quality of life for local people.

The six community organisations

• ACH  (formerly Ashley Community Housing), a refugee-led social enterprise working to resettle refugees through labour market and social integration, and is also a registered provider of social housing. 
• Bristol Disability Equality Forum an organisation of deaf and disabled people who live, work or study in the city that was established to support independence, choice and the full inclusion of Disabled people in society.
• Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust, a resident-led organisation that exists to support residents of Lockleaze to achieve positive change for themselves and their community.
• Ambition Lawrence Weston, an organisation formed in 2012 by a group of residents concerned about a decline in services and closure of local facilities. It strives to make Lawrence Weston a good place to live and work.
• Up Our Street, an organisation which represents residents and businesses in the Easton and Lawrence Hill wards of East Bristol. It leads a consortium of local organisations including Easton Community Centre and the Felix Road Adventure Playground..
• Heart of BS13, an organisation founded in 1990 by local residents, which aims to improve residents’ health and well-being, and the quality of life in the area.  

During Phase 2 of the project, running till 2025, these six organisations will deliver six innovative community-led live projects tackling a particular climate theme.

The other key project strands are:

• A strategic citywide project taking a community-led approach to accessible, sustainable transport in collaboration with Sustrans.
• The establishment of a new Community Leadership Panel on Climate and Just Transition for the city with the support of Praxis.
• A learning and peer mentoring programme to support and inspire twelve new community organisations to co-produce climate action plans with and for their communities.
• A series of neighbourhood and citywide engagement events and creative commissions.

Across all the project strands the CCA team is working collectively with strategic city leaders and community partners to develop a unique Bristol approach to community Ieadership on climate.

This is a very exciting opportunity to work with Bristol’s community organisations who are committed to bettering the lives of the Bristol communities they represent.

Communities are experts of their place – this project gives the opportunity to bring to the fore the voices of people unrepresented in action on climate change across the city, and explore approaches to ensuring our zero carbon transition addresses social inequalities, improves people’s quality of life, and is inclusive and just.

Harriet Sansom, manager of the project for CSE.