Local Climate Academy / Autumn 2025 / Morning Cohort

INSPIRE AND SUPPORT YOUR COUNCIL TO TAKE BETTER CLIMATE ACTION

Climate Emergency UK's next Local Climate Academy (LCA) will run between 14th October- 18th November 2025. This cohort is for council officers at the beginning of their careers. If this is you, we would love to welcome you at our online sessions. The LCA will equip you with the knowledge, tools and confidence to support your council to take action on the climate and ecological crisis.

To apply for a space on the click on 'Tickets' then 'Check out' to fill out the application form. You will not be charged to apply.

**Note we are also running a evening course in tandem aimed at campaigners working with councils and people considering becoming councillors in the future, here**

What is the Local Climate Academy?

The Local Climate Academy runs online over six weeks. As an overview, sessions 1-3 focus on understanding how councils work, and the tools we have available to influence and create action. This will include getting familiar with the Scorecards website. Sessions 4-6 bring this knowledge all together by exploring case studies and examples.

Each week includes a 90-minute online interactive session and a 60-minute online open session. Participants are also invited to join a WhatsApp group where ideas and support can be shared throughout the course and beyond. We include space for networking and peer learning so councils and communities can learn from each other and invite experts to share experiences in particular areas. We explore difficulties and good practice found across the nations.

Who is the Local Climate Academy for?

This course has been specifically developed to support council officers at the beginning of their careers. However, it can also be useful for newly-elected and early career councillors and people considering becoming councillors in the future, who want their councils to improve their climate and biodiversity action, and community campaigners who are keen to mobilise local support and advocate for further climate action from their councils.

Whether you are a councillor, campaigner or officer, please get in touch to find out more about whether the course would suit you.

How does the Local Climate Academy help?

We understand that councils can be held back from taking climate action by a lack of resources, staff not having the necessary skills and, often, a lack of political will. We recognise, too, that the lack of guidance and finance from national government is challenging. The LCA course gives participants the tools to navigate this uncertainty and find ways for their council to take meaningful action despite these barriers.

Using Climate Action Scorecards

Climate Emergency UK created the Council Climate Action Scorecards which assess every UK council on its environmental performance. The Scorecards are used in the Academy’s courses to understand current council climate action. We will have a chance to explore the scorecards and see some examples of action from some of the seven Scorecard sections: Buildings and Heating, Transport, Planning, Biodiversity, Collaboration and Engagement, Governance and Finance and Waste Reduction and Food.

Is the Local Climate Academy for you?

The time commitment for this course is 2-3 hours a week over a six-week period. By applying for a place you are committing to attend all six 90-minute live sessions and to actively engage in the course.

We are delighted to be able to fully fund this course thanks to a grant from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust. The course will be free for all participants who successfully complete the application process to join us in October 2025. An optional certification fee of 15 GBP can be added to your order to support our work.

Session dates and focus

Live sessions will take place on:

• Tuesday14th October 9:00 -10:30am
• Tuesday 20th October 9:00 -10:30am
• Tuesday 27th October 9:00 -10:30am
• Tuesday 3rd November 9:00 -10:30am
• Tuesday10th November 9:00 -10:30am
• Tuesday 18th November 9:00 -10:30am

There will be an open session on Friday mornings, held together with the cohort from the evening course. Timings for this will be agreed by the group (please submit your preferred time when applying).

As an overview, sessions 1-3 focus on understanding how councils work, and the tools we have available to influence and create action. This will include getting familiar with the Scorecards website. Sessions 4-6 bring this knowledge all together by exploring case studies and examples.

Please get in touch!

If you have any questions about the Local Climate Academy or are wondering whether it might be right for you, contact us at declare@climateemergency.uk