Scottish climate action hubs: models research

8. Appendix B: Climate Action Hub Case Studies

8.1. Climate Connect

Delivery Area

Erlangen, Marburg and Potsdam, Germany

Lead Organisation(s)

Climate Connect (third sector organisation)

Background and Aims

The online platform Climate Connect was established in 2020 by a group of local climate activists in response to the lack of collaboration between existing groups and individuals. The aim of the platform was to give visibility to environmental projects, connections to develop climate action globally, and measuring tools to estimate their impact. By 2021, the platform was growing but lacked focus. In response, the team established the first physical hub in Erlangen, to encourage action locally. In the following year, two more hubs were established in other parts of Germany, and they intend to grow the network in years to come. They aim to create a network of local hubs that can work together and share best practice.

Structure

The hubs are run collaboratively between the Climate Connect staff team and the local communities. There is a core team of four paid staff, managing the online content and the network. They are also responsible for administration. These employees have specific responsibilities such as web development, community management and marketing. A board of directors oversees the running of Climate Connect on a voluntary basis. The local hubs have volunteer “climate networkers” or “climate ambassadors”. These roles are approximately 10 hours a week to work with local people and help coordinate projects. Other volunteers support the work of specific projects. There are also unpaid internships focused on specific aspects of the organisation such as events and digital marketing.

The hubs partner with a range of local organisations and provide a physical meeting point for collaboration and networking.

Funding

• Each local authority has provided funding towards the hubs. The amount of this funding varies per region.
• Donations: In 2022, €30,000 of crowdfunding was raised, as well as a large individual donation of €10,000.
• Grants: Climate Connect also applies for grants, such as the €30,000 it received from The Röchling Foundation in 2022.

Activities and Successes

The hub hosts a range of projects and activities. Examples include:

• Plug Solar Consultation: providing citizens plug in solar devices and organising events and information stalls on the topic.
• Inner city vegetable farm with educational opportunities. An open-air museum for future methods of sustainable agriculture as well as climate adaptation strategies for food production.
• Library of things: a library for anyone to borrow items they need for a short period of time, for free or low cost, instead of buying them. This helps the local community save resources and reduce waste.
• Climate Days are held annually at each hub, an open invite for residents to brainstorm ideas for the hubs in the following year.
• The climate hub in Erlangen initiated a balcony solar initiative inspired by the group Heiner*energie^[7] from the city of Darmstadt. Heiner*energie was able to install over 1000 solar panels on balconies in 2022.
• Founding a ‘citizens energy cooperative’, empowering people to co-own local renewable energy projects together so they can profit from them financially.

As well as these activities, the virtual network expanded significantly in 2022 and 2023. Climate Connect are present in 104 different countries with a total of 1442 members. In 2022, they launched 107 new projects, bringing the current total to 307 active projects. The top three project sectors are promoting climate-friendly lifestyles (72 projects), raising awareness about climate change (53 projects) and education (53 projects). There were also 1163 active engagements between users across their virtual platforms.

8.2. Climate Action Leeds

Delivery Area

Leeds, England, UK.

Climate Action Leeds is a network of hubs based in: Alwoodley, Armley, Little London, Horsforth, Beeston, Garforth, Otley, Seacroft.

Lead Organisation(s)

Climate Action Leeds (third sector organisation)

Background and Aims

In 2019, Leeds City Council declared a climate emergency. The National Lottery had launched the Climate Action Fund at this time. Over 40 Leeds-based groups collaborated on a successful bid for Climate Action Funding and planned a city-wide programme of activity to engage and enable communities, campaign groups and sectors to plan and act together. Six themes were developed - managed by five lead organisations (see below). The goal is to create a zero carbon, nature friendly, socially just Leeds by the 2030s. Over time, they have established eight hubs to inspire local environmental action across the city.

Structure

Delivered by five local third-sector organisations:

• Voluntary Action Leeds lead the project and provide organisational and management support.
• Together for Peace develop and coordinate the network of community hubs.
• Our Future Leeds lead programme development and facilitate city-wide stakeholder dialogues. They also act as an independent strategic partner, offering guidance and support. They deliver lobbying and advocacy work for the programme.
• Leeds Tidal provide campaigning for communities.
• CAG Consultants lead on learning and evaluation.

There are paid part-time staff at each of the hubs, but hubs are largely run and delivered by volunteers. Three development officers provide oversight and support for the eight hubs in the form of project management, community development and delivery of consultations. Hub workers mobilise people in the community and are responsible for project delivery. There is also a board of trustees who oversee the running of the organisation.

A transition partner organisation is responsible for each sustainability ‘theme’ (listed below). The transition partners act as sector organisers, inspiring and organising change around their area of interest and expertise. They host regular assemblies and are working towards developing a sector plan that feeds into the city plan and will support community-led networks and action towards a just transition:

• Arts Activism Education Research: London based organisation bringing together activists, artists and researchers to focus on social and environmental issues and a just transition.
• People Powered Homes: aim is to develop a plan to transform Leeds’ housing sector into one which is compatible with a zero carbon, nature friendly and socially just city as well as contribute to the city-wide just transition road map to ensure cross-sector thinking around climate change.
• Foodwise Leeds: Building a campaign to promote a locally-focused, high quality, low carbon, minimum waste and fair food system in Leeds.
• Hyde Park Source: working in the nature sector to bring together expertise, insights and action.
• Leeds Tidal works on delivering a just transition within the ‘work and economy’ sector.
• Leeds Development Education Centre and Angel House: work together to develop a climate curriculum and a Youth and Education Action Plan for Leeds.

Funding

The project is funded by the National Lottery Climate Action Fund, providing £2,499,676 between 2020 – 2025. Each local hub has an £8000 delivery budget per year. Climate Action Leeds occasionally apply for other funding, but this is limited due to a lack of staff capacity to deliver additional work.

Activities and Successes

Each hub is resident led. Climate Action Leeds intentionally established hubs in areas of Leeds with strong identities. Residents are given a lot of autonomy over what is delivered. This means that there is a sense of ownership within local communities over the hubs, and each deliver a unique set of projects.

Examples of projects include:

• Energy: Domestic energy efficiency workshops, supporting retrofitting of homes
• Waste: Repair Cafes, clothes swaps.
• Biodiversity: Tree planting, biodiversity strategies, community woodland. development, creating a community garden and developing a greenspace mapping tool.
• Education: Establishing a climate curriculum, visits to schools to deliver climate awareness events.

Key achievements so far include^[8]:

• Development of the Leeds Food Strategy and working with schools to improve sourcing of food to reduce the carbon impact of meals served.
• Development and roll out of a climate curriculum for schools.
• Delivery of community events such as the annual Clean Air Day in June 2023 and Car Free Day in September.
• Development of a Community Wealth Building Strategy in partnership with Leeds City Council. Some elements of this strategy have already been embedded, including sustainable food procurement policies.

8.3. Community Climate Hubs Programme

Delivery Area

Canada

Lead Organisation(s)

The Climate Reality Project Canada

Background and Aims

The programme was launched in 2017, as The Climate Reality Project Canada found that people felt disempowered by the impact they could have on Climate Change at the local level. The Climate Reality Project works to increase commitment to climate action, starting from the ground up. The branch established the first set of hubs to allow people to come together locally to create within their local authority change, whilst also being connected to a national network of hubs to create a greater impact. Since 2017, the network has grown from two, to twenty-one hubs.

The aims of the programme are:

• Bring local communities together to work towards decarbonisation, and advance them along the milestone process^[9] set out by the ‘Federation of Canadian Municipalities’
• Obtain local authority commitments to net zero by 2050 or sooner, and doing so in a way that does not leave members of the community behind
• Ensure net zero is delivered in a way that champions climate resilient communities.
• Facilitate a local network of individuals and groups working towards sustainability goals together.

Structure

The Community Climate Hubs programme is an initiative of The Climate Reality Project Canada^[10], and a part of the global community of The Climate Reality Project^[11]. The programme works to establish local climate hubs across Canada to focus on tackling the risks of climate change locally. There are twenty-one hubs in areas across Canada.

The Community Climate Hubs Manager coordinates the programme, oversees the hubs, and manages the staff members. There are three paid Regional Engagement Coordinators that oversee hubs in specific areas. There are also Regional Officers that support the delivery of projects in specific regions. The individual hubs are volunteer run, with a small number having one paid member of staff to oversee activity.

Funding

The initiative is built around free online tools. As such, hubs are able to run effective campaigns on very limited budgets. The hubs are encouraged to seek out partners in their community that can provide donations. The have secured funding from a range of trusts and foundations. To facilitate fundraising, the Climate Reality Project Canada can issue tax receipts for donations greater than $100. This often means that donors can claim a tax deduction. The Regional Engagement Coordinators support hubs to apply for grants, as some volunteers do not have experience with this.

Activities and Successes

The hubs run a range of projects, largely based on influencing change in their local authority area. These include:

• Petitions
• Climate strikes
• Online seminars
• Sessions with MPs
• Building community plans

8.4. Zero Carbon Guildford

Delivery Area

Guildford, England, UK. The lease of their town centre hub ended in September and the charity is working to secure another central location in 2024.

Lead Organisation(s)

Zero Carbon Guildford (third sector organisation)

Background and Aims

Zero Carbon Guildford was established during lockdown, by individuals from 15 local environmental groups with an interest in providing more practical sustainability advice locally. The aim is to help the borough of Guildford reach net zero carbon emissions by 2030. They wanted to focus on residents who were not already engaged with sustainability by providing support with small manageable activities and lifestyle changes. To do this, they created a physical town centre hub called ZERO.

Structure

Zero Carbon Guildford is managed by a Board of Trustees. Membership is open to anyone who signs up to the pledge to support the aims of Zero Carbon Guildford online. The hub has been largely run by volunteers since it was established in 2021, with more than 100 volunteers as of 2022. It is starting to move away from being entirely volunteer run, and now has a growing number of paid employees.

Roles for paid employees include:

• Activity Coordinator, managing volunteers, projects, and partnerships.
• Sustainable Business Network Project Officer, coordinating and building partnerships for the hubs business network.
• Energy Surveys Project Manager and Champions: coordinating and delivering energy surveys for local residents.

Roles for volunteers include:

• Operations team: a group of volunteers who run day-to-day activities, including operating the physical space.
• Outreach volunteers: Identify, coordinate and deliver outreach opportunities, such as local events.

Funding

Individual projects are funded by a range of organisations. Zero Carbon Guildford also conduct fundraising events, raising £40,500 through a Crowdfunder in September 2023.

Activities and Successes

The hub hosts events, installations, exhibitions, talks, workshops and projects, as well as running a café. The hub has had a steady stream of volunteers without a focus on recruitment. It has benefitted from committed Trustees with a lot of time to establish the hub. The accessible central location, and volunteers from Duke of Edinburgh contribute to interest in volunteering. To encourage further volunteer support, the activity co-ordinator provides volunteer coordination and holds regular volunteer meetings and social events. The volunteers allow for the delivery of a wide range of projects, with 14 currently running.

These projects include:

• A community fridge: in 2022, the fridge had 5,483 visitors and diverted 8,762kg of food from landfill.
• A library of things: items have been borrowed 221 times in 2023 and saved residents £36,849 so far, as well as 5.6 tonnes of carbon emissions.
• Energy surveys project which offers local households free thermal imaging surveys, and draught-proofing measures where issues are identified. This is conducted by paid energy champions who are trained through a partnership with the Local Energy Advice Demonstrator project. 181 energy surveys have been completed in local households, providing 644 energy efficiency measures to residents.

8.5. Lewes Climate Hub

Delivery Area

Lewes, East Sussex, England UK.

Lead Organisation(s)

Lewes Climate Hub

Background and Aims

The idea was inspired by similar hubs created by Extinction Rebellion (XR) in other towns. The six managers came from two local environmental activist groups, XR and Transition, to develop the hub. The hub aims to encourage local action to tackle the global climate and ecological emergency.

Structure

Lewes Climate Hub is an independent alliance of a large range of community groups and organisations in and around Lewes. They have a hub in the centre of Lewes. The hub is supported by Ouse Valley Climate Action (OVCA), a National Lottery funded project that provides advice and funding to a range of environmental projects in Ouse Valley. The alliance and the hub have a management team of six volunteers. Other volunteers also staff the hub, with one volunteer attending the hub each day, and more attending for weekend or external events. There is one paid employee, the administrator. They respond to enquiries, run marketing activities, and manages the volunteers.

Funding

Lewes Climate Hub has support from a range of funding partners. Examples include:

• Lewes District Council: have provided a retail space and contribute to funding to the hub. This is because the hub helps the local authority meet their net zero commitments.
• National Lottery Community Fund: provided £2 million to OVCA to help tackle climate change. OVCA distribute this funding to local groups in the area, including Lewes Climate Hub.
• Sussex Community Foundation: provide additional funding. The hub is also looking for additional grants.

Activities and Successes

The hub runs a range of events and projects. Some examples of these include:

• The Energy Room: three part-time volunteer energy champions provide a drop-in service overseen by community energy company OVESCo. They can advise on energy bills and usage, renewable energy, and retrofitting homes and businesses to be warmer and more energy efficient. This service has a separate room in the hub and is open three days a week.
• Talks and events are developed to engage residents on a monthly theme. Examples include information events on affordable retrofits and heat pumps for local residents.
• Partnerships: the hub has become the go-to place to find out about sustainable projects in the area. They have networked with a wide range of partners to provide information to residents in the hub and on their website. This allows residents to learn about ongoing local projects, as well as how to get involved or volunteer.

8.6. Cool Wirral

Delivery Area

Wirral, England

Lead Organisation(s)

Wirral Council & Cool Wirral Partnership (CWP)

Background and Aims

In 2014, Wirral Council set up the CWP, a network of public, private and third sector organisations working together to become carbon neutral by 2041. The campaign Cool Wirral encourages local climate-related action in support of the climate change strategy for Wirral. The Cool Wirral Climate Hub is a virtual engagement hub where information is provided about Cool Wirral projects that local residents can get involved in.

A theme is set every two months, such as waste or energy, and residents are challenged to take suggested actions to help respond to the issue. Residents are also encouraged to engage on the platform with their own ideas of how to reduce their carbon footprint.

Structure

The hub is delivered by the ‘Cool Business’ subgroup of Cool Wirral, which is overseen by staff on a voluntary basis from Wirral Chamber of Commerce. They are currently in the process of recruiting ‘Climate Champion’ volunteers for the hub. The volunteers lead on activities, staff at the Cool Business subgroup help to facilitate these activities but do not take a leading role.

Funding

The activities of the hub are funded by Wirral Council and its partners, as well as Government funding. The recruitment of climate champion volunteers is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The recruitment is delivered by ‘Wirral Council For Voluntary Service’, a local membership organisation for organisations that have volunteers. The volunteer training is funded by Wirral Council.

Activities and Successes

The hub has established many initiatives to help reduce carbon emissions in Wirral, as well as increasing involvement in ongoing projects. These include:

• Climate Cafes for Refugees, an event led by volunteers to provide a social space for refugees in Wirral to talk about climate issues and actions locally.
• Cool Yule, a sustainable Christmas fair with information about local businesses and community groups working on Cool Wirral, alongside sustainable craft workshops.
• Wirral Environmental Network Events: this partner promotes a range of events that local residents can get involved with, such as community gardening, climate emergency training and information events.