Wigan's first climate coalition - a local movement for positive change

Wigan's first climate coalition - a local movement for positive change

By Cllr Paul Prescott, Cabinet Member for Planning, Environmental Services & Transport

In Wigan Borough we have a strong track record of coming together on issues that really affect our local residents.

This ethos of partnership working has proven to be the case once again as we embark on a new Climate Coalition for our borough.

This coalition of businesses, community and public sector organisations has joined together to help meet the challenges climate change will bring in the years and decades ahead.

As a borough we will have to prepare for many challenges ahead including greater risk of flooding, heatwaves, droughts and even the knock-on impacts of wildfires on moorland and rising sea levels on the North West coastlands.

We will also have to try and reduce our borough's carbon emissions - with the majority of them coming from our homes and our transport.

But the coalition will also look at the opportunities a low carbon future will bring.

The low carbon economy will help create jobs, improved air quality will help boost public health and more green spaces will mean more natural places for people and wildlife to enjoy.

One key theme which came through our first workshop was that climate change influences all the issues we are now facing from the cost of living crisis and fuel poverty to public health and economic growth.

A more sustainable society also holds the answer to a brighter future – a more happier, healthier and more equal future.

As a council we have done so much since declaring a climate emergency in 2019 and this will be detailed in our upcoming annual climate report.

But we cannot address this massive agenda alone which is why the climate coalition is so crucial and we hope will help create a local movement for positive change.

My thanks go to the following partners for joining the coalition and I look forward to working together on this vital agenda in the years to come:

NHS GM Integrated Care, Wrightington, Wigan & Leigh NHS, Kraft Heinz, Murphy Group, DMR Training, Great Minds, Church Wigan, Wigan Warriors, Everything Human Rights, Happy Smiles CIC, Groundwork and Embrace Wigan & Leigh.