North West Leicestershire District Council is among a group of organisations to team up with Leicestershire County Council and draw up an ambitious set of principles setting out plans to tackle climate change, nature decline and carbon reduction.

The Leicestershire Climate and Nature Pact is based on the principles of the Glasgow Climate Pact, signed by the UK government in November 2021.

It supports national and international efforts to tackle climate change by bringing together the businesses and private sector, voluntary, community and social enterprises, universities, the education and research sector, the public sector and the people and communities of Leicestershire, to drive local action and work towards a number of shared environmental aims.

The core requirements of the Pact include the need to act quickly on reducing the impacts of climate change, reducing carbon emissions to net zero, halting ecological decline, supporting climate recovery, and working together to deliver effective action on climate change.

The Pact – which stands as a statement of intent on the county's climate action pledges – was officially launched at a signing ceremony this week, attended by representatives from more than 40 organisations who gathered to share their ideas on how to work together towards the common goal of making Leicestershire a net zero county by 2045.

The first 18 signatories to the Leicestershire Climate and Nature Pact are:

• Leicestershire County Council
• De Montfort University
• National Forest
• Green Fox Community Energy
• Loughborough University
• University of Leicester
• Midlands Net Zero Hub
• Cenex
• LLEP (Leicestershire Local Enterprise Partnership)
• Environment Agency
• Oadby & Wigston Borough Council
• North West Leicestershire District Council
• Charnwood Borough Council
• Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council
• Blaby District Council
• Tilton Green
• Tilton Electric Car Club
• Halstead Hill Farm

The county council is now calling upon other organisations and groups across the county to sign up to the pact and play their part in combating climate change and nature decline. A number of other organisations have already informally pledged their support, ahead of going through the formal decision-making process.

Councillor Blake Pain, cabinet member for the environment and green agenda, said: "The Leicestershire Climate and Nature Pact underlines the urgent need for organisations in the county to work together to deliver our climate commitments. It highlights the fact that we can't reach net zero on our own – we need a team effort to make it a reality.

"We are leading by example and encouraging partners, businesses, groups and organisations to get involved to help shape a greener future for the county, and for generations to come."

Contact [email protected] to find out more.