Carbon Literacy Training at Winchester City Council
Winchester City Council recognises the role all our staff have to play in tackling climate change and in meeting our ambitious targets of becoming carbon neutral by 2024. Therefore the council has committed to a programe of Carbon Literacy based on the principles of the Carbon Literacy Project. As a council we’re working with the Carbon Literacy Project (CLP) to train officers and Councillors on sustainability, climate change, and carbon neutrality and to become accredited as Carbon Literate individuals. To date, we have trained over 160 officers and councillors . We’ve been offering training since Autumn 2020 and were one of the first local authorities to pilot the Local Authorities Generic Staff Course.
Carbon Literacy is defined as: “An awareness of the carbon dioxide costs and impacts of everyday activities, and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community and organisational basis.”
In February 2021, WCC was certified as a Bronze Carbon Literate Organisation (CLO), currently one of only a handful of councils in the UK to achieve this status. We hope to achieve Silver accreditation in 2023.
Today, over 519,032 individuals from over 4,070 organisations are accredited as Carbon Literate.
"The Carbon Literacy Project is based on the key aim that if we are to cut our carbon emissions by the kind of reductions demanded of us by science, then we will need to change culture alongside technology.
"Carbon Literacy training is offered through workplaces, educational institutions and communities."
Officer training: Training is currently delivered in-house by members of the council’s Sustainability team and supported by a growing team of Carbon Literate staff volunteers from across the council. To date, we have trained more than 160 people including officers, members, and our Executive Leadership Board.
Elected member training: In July and August 2021, we delivered our first training session to our Elected Members using the Elected Members Training Toolkit. So far, 23 members have been fully trained. This will be repeated in June 2023 to the new cohort of Elected Members joining the council.
External officer training: The council has now trained a number of officers from other councils who are interested in implementing carbon literacy within their own authorities.
In February 2021, WCC was certified as a Bronze Carbon Literate Organisation (CLO), currently one of only a handful of councils in the UK to achieve this status.
In November 2021, our Carbon Literacy trainers were invited along to a virtual COP26 Focus Day event, led by the Carbon Literacy Project to discuss climate change and what action local authorities can take. You can watch the event here.
As part of Carbon Literacy Action Day 2022, the council held a Climate Conscious Coffee support session as a result of which a further 10 Officers completed their personal action plans and gained accreditation.
They were awarded their certificates by Cllr Learney, Cabinet Mamber for the Climate Emergency.
CaptionOfficers awarded CL Certificates by Cabinet Member Cllr Learney