Bristol is best city in England on climate action as council announces significant progress

Bristol City Council is the best city in England on climate action, according to Climate Emergency UK, who have recently assessed all UK councils on the actions they’ve taken towards net zero.

Climate Emergency UK was set up in response to the climate emergency declarations that councils started making from the end of 2018. Bristol was the first council in the country and Europe to make such a declaration, following a motion put forward by Carla Denyer, the now MP for Bristol Central. 

Bristol’s total score was 10% higher than it was in 2023, demonstrating the significant steps the city has taken to decarbonise. The scorecard also highlights the significant progress made since 2023 in decarbonising buildings and heating, transport, and planning and land use. Bristol was also a ‘top performer’ in collaboration and engagement. 

Carla Denyer, MP for Bristol Central and Co-Leader of the Green Party, said:

“As a councillor in Bristol in 2018 I proposed  Europe’s first Climate Emergency declaration — a Green Party motion, passed with cross-party support — and since then Bristol has made incredible progress towards net zero, leading the way among English cities. 

“The action taken in Bristol towards a safer future for our children and grandchildren shows what’s possible when the political will is there – from the Bristol City Leap project investing millions in decarbonising homes, businesses and council buildings to massive improvements in walking and cycling infrastructure and new public transport. 

“But for councils across the country to meet their full potential to spearhead the move towards net zero, they need more power and funding from central government. The government should make climate action a fully-funded legal duty for all UK councils so that councils can lead the way on tackling the climate crisis, bringing down bills and improving people’s health and wellbeing.” 

As well as this national recognition, Bristol City Council has also recently announced the significant steps Bristol is taking to reach net zero, which they say has ‘put the city significantly ahead of similarly sized cities’.

A report to the Environment and Sustainability Committee highlights a reduction in carbon emissions by 56% overall and 62% per person between 2005 and 2023, compared to 46% and 52% nationally. 

The average reduction per person in the Core Cities (the major UK cities outside London) was 57%, 5% lower than Bristol’s 62%. 

The council’s direct emissions are also forecast to reduce by 88% between 2016 and 2025.

Cllr Martin Fodor, Green Party cllr and Chair of the Environment and Sustainability Committee for Bristol, said, “The council is making huge steps to decarbonise and we are making progress all over the city as fast as we can to deliver on our ambition. 

“Whether it’s through decarbonising our energy systems via the City Leap Partnership,  or working via our One City Environmental Board, or by supporting local organisations to create local climate action plans, Bristol is showing that our historic declaration of a climate emergency is being translated into action. ”

“But we need to go further, faster. If we are to meet our targets and the national net zero target set in law, we need a Government that will provide us with more powers and funds rather than removing the grants we’ve been using to help us decarbonise council buildings and facilities.” [3]

“Through creative and ambitious solutions, like our record breaking Community Mutual Investment Fund, we can once again show that Bristol is leading the way in the race to net zero and all the wider community benefits that this brings. ”

Notes: 

1. The 2025 Action Scorecard assessment consists of 93 questions or less, depending on council type, across 7 different sections, created in consultation with over 90 different organisations and individuals. Each council was marked against these criteria and given a right to reply before the scores underwent a final audit. This work was completed between July 2024 and March 2025.
2. Bristol City Council Climate Action Scorecard | Council Climate Scorecards 
3.  *The Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund now closed by the government.