BIRMINGHAM, 13 June 2025— The UK's leading cross-party local climate network has warned that "targets alone are terrible" for winning public support, as it launches a major report demonstrating how councils are delivering tangible benefits through climate action.

The report is available at beyondtargets.org.uk.

Speaking at UK100's "5 & 25 Local Climate Conference: Beyond Targets" in Birmingham later today, Christopher Hammond, Chief Executive of UK100, will challenge the climate sector to reframe its approach as political opposition to targets intensifies.

"The political consensus is dead. We need to win the argument again," Hammond will tell over 100 delegates from local authorities across the UK. "We will not meet our climate targets if we keep talking about meeting our climate targets. It is too abstract."

The conference, marking five years until many councils' ambitious 2030 targets and 25 years to the national 2050 deadline, comes as Reform UK's recent electoral gains signal growing political challenges for climate action.

UK100's new flagship report, "Beyond Targets: The Wider Benefits of Local Climate Action," reveals how successful councils are building support by focusing on immediate community benefits rather than distant emissions targets. Key findings include:

• Birmingham's Clean Air Zone prevents an estimated 7,500 hospital visits annually, saving the NHS hundreds of thousands of pounds that can be redirected to cutting waiting lists.
• Leeds' clean heat network is helping lift almost 2,000 households out of fuel poverty by reducing bills by up to 25%.
• Cambridgeshire's retrofit programme is training 2,000 local people for well-paid jobs and has supported almost 500 existing positions.
• Cardiff's Local Area Energy Plan will create 10,000 jobs and wipe £500 million off collective energy bills.

"Behind each of these numbers is a business grown, home improved and a family better off," Hammond said. "If we let our opponents make climate action and clean air a culture war, we will lose."

Political shift demands new approach

The report launch follows Reform UK's significant gains in recent local elections, including mayoralties in Greater Lincolnshire and Hull and East Yorkshire. Hammond will explicitly address this political shift, warning that political opponents and fossil fuel proponents are shaping climate action as "an albatross around our necks."

"Reform's gains last month weren't a rejection of climate action — but a rejection of centralised institutions that are failing and a sense that we are still in decline," Hammond will argue. "Climate targets have become fair game, becoming symbolic of a fractured national political consensus."

He challenged the sector to reclaim the narrative: "The status quo is the vulnerable freezing in winter. It's floods, warped rail lines and wrecked roads. It's turning our back on investment and growth."

Polling and engagement experts agree.

"After two decades working in climate communication, I've learned that people don't connect with carbon jargon or tonnes of emissions data—they connect with each other,” says Jamie Clarke, Director of Engaging Climate. “The real breakthrough isn't when a council hits its net zero target; it's when a neighbour tells a friend about their lower energy bills."

More In Common’s Andrew Fowler adds: “At a time when politics in Briton feels to many more divided than ever, this report details why, but even more crucially how to bring about local climate action to move beyond discourse and genuinely benefit communities".

Hammond will conclude his speech at the conference with a rallying cry to the sector: "Don't give up, be proud of what you have done and are doing. We need to move beyond setting targets to practical delivery. If we are to win over voters and the bean counters in the Treasury, we need to prove our climate plans deliver for the community and the economy."

Leaders call for practical focus

Ahead of the conference, Cllr Martin Fodor, Chair of the Environment and Sustainability Committee at Bristol City Council, said:

"Bristol was the first UK and European local authority to declare a climate emergency in 2018. UK100's 'beyond targets' message resonates deeply with us — we've moved from declaring emergencies to delivering results. From our award-winning heat networks to community energy schemes, we're showing how climate action creates the blueprint other cities can follow."

Cllr Chloe Turner, Leader of Stroud District Council, continues:

"At Stroud, we've learned that the most powerful climate stories aren't about carbon figures — they're about the 450 council homes we've made warmer and cheaper to heat so far, the woody dams and wetlands we've created that prevent flooding, and the local businesses thriving in our green economy. The new Beyond Targets report only validates this experience: when we tell these human stories of immediate benefits, we give communities a tangible reason to rally behind climate action. The challenge isn't just delivering projects — it's communicating how climate action makes life better today, not just tomorrow."

Cllr Sarah Young, Cabinet Member for Climate, Environment and Transport at Hackney Council, added:

"Hackney's journey proves that climate action isn't just about targets that can seem abstract — it's about transforming how people experience their neighbourhoods every day. When communities can see, feel and benefit from change, they become our strongest advocates."

National infrastructure support needed

The conference will also feature debate about national support for local climate action.

Speaking before a masterclass session on local energy planning, Bridget Hartley, Head of Regional Energy Strategic Planning at National Energy System Operator (NESO), said:

"The NESO is developing Regional Energy Strategic Plans to coordinate energy infrastructure across Great Britain. This collaboration between national, regional and local planning is essential for an energy system that works for everyone."

Meanwhile, Ollie Pendered, Chief Executive of Community Energy Pathways, highlighted the community dimension:

"Local Area Energy Plans should look to develop a pipeline of local energy projects to unlock and accelerate to a greener low carbon future. When communities have a stake in their energy future through local energy ownership, we don't just hit energy targets — we build resilience and wealth that stays local."

Lynne McDonald, Head of Local Net Zero Team, UK Power Networks DSO, adds:

“UK Power Networks DSO is proactively supporting local authorities with practical actions to drive their climate ambitions. Beyond reducing carbon emissions, climate leadership brings economic resilience, better health outcomes, warmer homes, and thriving communities. We're committed to collaborating with local authorities to unlock these benefits through our dedicated Local Net Zero team, offering free data, digital tools like LAEP+ and ChargePoint Navigator, and guides such as The Energy Toolkit in partnership with UK100 that empower local authorities to plan, implement, and deliver their climate goals efficiently. "

Clean air as health imperative

UK100’s “Beyond targets” report's findings on clean air zones particularly resonated with health advocates.

Ahead of her conference session exploring a “Fresh Take on Clean Air,” Jemima Hartshorn, Founder and Director of Mums for Lungs, said:

"Since starting Mums for Lungs in Brixton in 2017, we've seen how clean air campaigns succeed when they connect with what parents actually worry about — their children's health and future. UK100's research shows exactly why our grassroots approach works: clean air isn't just about emissions data, it's about creating streets where children can breathe safely, learn better, and play freely."

Ahead of his speech at the same session, Cllr Majid Mahmood, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport at Birmingham City Council, added:

"Birmingham's Clean Air Zone has shown what's possible when you measure success beyond compliance figures. We've tackled an issue that has contributed to early deaths and made worse a range of chronic health conditions. UK100's research captures exactly what we've experienced — that clean air action supports health, and builds community pride."

Also sharing the same stage, Dr Suzanne Bartington, UKRI Clean Air Champion & Clinical Associate Professor, University of Birmingham added:

"Through the £42.5 million UKRI Clean Air Programme, we've connected environmental and health research communities, building the evidence to support practical indoor and outdoor air quality solutions. UK100's research suggests that moving beyond traditional transport-focused approaches unlocks even greater potential. With emerging evidence showing indoor sources like gas hobs and wood burners rival busy roads for pollution exposure, local authorities need fresh strategies that engage communities around health protection. The 'beyond targets' approach recognises that clean air isn't just an environmental goal — it's a pathway to healthier, more prosperous communities where everyone can thrive."