The council's response

Most of the climate assembly’s recommendations were included in the council’s first climate action plan. This includes 31 actions to tackle not just the 3% of Blackpool's carbon emissions for which the council is responsible, but the 97% of emissions from homes, transport and businesses. 

To deliver the change needed, we have identified ten key themes under which we have grouped our actions: 

• Housing
• Buildings and the built environment
• Transport, getting around and digital
• Power and heat
• Cleansing, food, water and waste
• Community leadership, communication and involvement
• Working with others
• Business
• Natural environment
• Building knowledge, capacity and financial resources

Progress is reported to the council’s Climate Change and Environment Scrutiny Committee. You can find our previous reports in the papers published on behalf of the committee. 

Over a quarter of the 126 outlined actions have been completed, including:

• Establishment of a climate action fund
• Launch of the Blackpool Climate Action Partnership
• Input into the greater Lancashire plan
• Development of the air quality strategy

Other actions in progress include: 

• Tree strategy implementation
• Rollout of carbon literacy training to council staff
• Encourage take up of energy efficient appliances and energy saving measures
• Development of a solar farm at Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone
• Blackpool Transport electrification

The council always considers the impact its work has on the climate. Strategies which have been influenced by or delivered as a result of the climate action plan include: 

• Blackpool local plan part one: Core strategy 2012 to 2027
• Electric vehicle charging strategy
• Tree strategy 2021-2031
• Town centre strategy 2013-28 and 2022 update
• Social value policy
• Member development plan
• Local transport plan programme
• Housing strategy 2018 to 2023
• Green and blue infrastructure strategy
• Financial inclusion strategy 2022 to 2027
• Greening Blackpool
• Sustainability, energy and water strategy 2018 to 2024
• Climate adaption strategy
• Ocean recovery strategy
• Lancashire and Blackpool flood risk management strategy
• Community flood resilience strategy
• Active lives strategy
• Air quality strategy

The earth will continue to get warmer regardless of reductions in carbon emissions. This means warm and wet winters, hot and dry summers, higher sea levels, and more frequent instances of extreme weather.

Blackpool Council is responsible for delivering services that are resilient to the effects of climate change, both the present and the future.

The council is committed to taking action to adapt to the impacts of climate change, and has produced a five year adaption action plan.

The goal of the plan is to enhance the resilience of Blackpool Council and our wholly owned companies against the anticipated impacts of climate change, to reduce the risk of service disruption and to help protect staff and service users.

Alongside this, Blackpool Council was one of just 30 councils invited by the Secretary of State to take part in the Department for Environment, Fisheries and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)’s fourth round adaptation reporting pilot process. We voluntarily prepared a report on actions the council is taking to prepare for climate change. The report will help DEFRA to learn how local authorities can contribute to the national adaptation programme.

Blackpool Council adaptation report 2024 for local authority fourth round adaptation reporting (ARP4) {PDF 1.22MB]

However, it is not just council services that need to adapt. Residents, businesses and communities must become more resilient.

This is why the council is planning to develop a Blackpool wide climate adaption plan in 2024. For updates and information please sign up to our mailing list.

Biodiversity is all the different forms of life on Earth and the habitats they live in, from oceans to desert. The more species that exist in an area or ecosystem, the more biodiverse it is.

Biodiversity is our strongest natural defence against climate change. The UK has lost almost half its biodiversity since the 1970s, one of the highest amounts in the world.

The Earth’s lands and ocean serve as natural carbon sinks, absorbing large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. This means that conserving and restoring natural spaces reduces the effects of emissions, helping us adapt to climate impacts such as flooding.

Although Blackpool is highly urban, the natural environment still exists within our blue and green infrastructure. Blue and green infrastructure is the network of natural and man-made features, including:

• Areas of green and open space
• Parks
• Rivers and lakes
• Playing fields
• Woodlands, forests and trees
• Allotments and gardens

The council parks and green spaces team have produced a green and blue infrastructure strategy to protect and enhance the quality of our natural spaces.  

Other steps taken by the council to protect biodiversity include:  

• The tree strategy 2021 to 2031
• Ensuring all compost and soil used in council landscaping and horticultural activities is peat free
• Not using pesticides in general parks and green spaces or around trees regardless of their location
• Working towards investing in Blackpool’s parks and ensure they meet Blackpool’s quality benchmark associated with the Green Flag criteria

As a coastal town, the ocean and its biodiversity play a critical role in both our economy and community identity. It protects us from the full effects of climate change, absorbing around 90% of the excess heat from global warming. Without it, the planet would be 35°C hotter and uninhabitable. But the health and biodiversity of our oceans is under threat.

In December 2022 Blackpool Council made a commitment to support ocean recovery efforts by developing an ocean recovery plan to safeguard and revitalise our marine ecosystems. Other benefits of developing the plan include promoting the wellbeing of our residents, growing a sustainable economy, and nurturing thriving communities.