Net Zero Lessons from across the UK

As climate-related challenges intensify, local authorities and community groups across the UK are rethinking how they work together. From the islands of the Outer Hebrides to homes in Cardiff, a new model is emerging that prioritises relationships, surfaces unheard voices, and treats public participation as essential infrastructure rather than an add-on.

Explore these four case studies to learn how deliberative place-based engagement and community-led planning are driving the green transition.

Cardiff: Engagement as core retrofit infrastructure

Cardiff Council is developing one of Wales’ most ambitious retrofit programmes, targeting households in fuel poverty to deliver warmer homes, lower energy bills and improved health outcomes. The Council recognised that technical delivery alone would not guarantee success: without community trust, even well-funded programmes can struggle to reach those who need them most.

Working with Involve through the Innovate UK Net Zero Living Programme, Cardiff reviewed its engagement approach by bringing together climate and housing teams, delivering public engagement training and convening a multi-agency roundtable.

This case study sets out the recommendations from that strategic work, including how to embed engagement in procurement, reach seldom-heard communities and tackle scams and misinformation.

Read the full case study on the Local Climate Engagement Resource Hub.

Forest of Dean: A community-led vision for a resilient future

Forest of Dean District Council and Coleford Town Council wanted to go beyond conventional consultation and have a mandate from residents to drive meaningful climate action. Working with Involve, 19 residents came together for five deliberative sessions to co-develop a shared vision and nine action ideas for a happier, fairer and more climate-resilient Coleford.

The project showed that sortition recruitment and targeted outreach can bridge the gap with rural residents who rarely engage with local government. It highlights that working collaboratively across tiers of local authority can produce stronger, place-based recommendations.

This project has shaped the Council’s Climate and Nature Emergency Strategy, influenced a county-level Green Skills Strategy and galvanised new cross-sector partnerships.

Read the full case study on the Local Climate Engagement Resource Hub to explore the approach, key lessons and recommendations for other councils considering similar programmes.

Northern Ireland: Building resilience through relationships

As climate related emergencies grow more frequent, Northern Ireland is testing new ways for communities and public bodies to prepare together. A new team,  jointly funded by the Department for Communities and the Department for Infrastructure, was established to build coordination across the region, grounded in community involvement.

Working with Involve, the team undertook capacity-building sessions to strengthen their confidence, clarify their approach and embed high-quality public engagement principles within emergency planning. By starting with strengths rather than deficits, and treating community resilience as a matter of relationships as much as resources, the team found confidence to advocate for citizens’ voices within complex systems.

Read the full case study on the Local Climate Engagement Resource Hub to find out what this approach means for other resilience teams navigating similar challenges.

Outer Hebrides: Navigating conflict with Deep Democracy

In the Outer Hebrides, climate decisions are rarely straightforward. Energy is a deeply personal and relational issue, shaped by ties to the land, community dynamics and the practical costs of island life. Community groups are often skilled at bringing people together,  but less confident in surfacing disagreement.

Working with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Community Energy Scotland, Involve delivered two days of Deep Democracy training across Uist and Stornoway, equipping 18 practitioners with tools to navigate conflict constructively and surface minority views safely. Rather than smoothing over difference, participants learned to treat disagreement as a source of insight and a foundation for better, more inclusive decisions.

Read the full case study on the Local Climate Engagement Resource Hub to explore how these skills are being embedded in climate engagement across the islands.