Since 2022, Manchester’s In Our Nature programme has been weaving climate action into everyday life. Jane Houldsworth, Deputy Director, and Ellie Sherlock, Communications Lead at Manchester Climate Ready, explain how the programme is delivering climate action that is fashionable, affordable and even delicious.

Hitting zero carbon by 2038

Manchester has a science-based target of zero carbon by 2038, but hitting that target means bringing everyone along.

“Climate change is a massive issue and it’s never going to be tackled by any one organisation alone,” says Jane. “It’s got to be done as a partnership, as a collective.” For In Our Nature, that means ensuring the transition is just and equitable, and that no community or individual is left behind. In Our Nature is closely aligned to and informed by the city’s climate ambitions and in 2025, In Our Nature also supported residents to take part in a Citizen’s Panel to inform Manchester’s climate strategy for the next five years.

Over the last three years, 87 projects have engaged over 4,800 people across 121 community groups. Together, they have saved 67 tonnes of carbon. Working through trusted partners and local organisations, faith groups, schools, community groups, and sports clubs, In Our Nature has been rolled out across the city, creating a movement that is inclusive and reflects Manchester’s diverse population.

“It’s not just about the climate”

Manchester is the second most deprived local authority in England and Wales, with a rapidly growing population spanning multiple faiths, languages and cultures. For Mancunians, there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

“When we say we’re speaking to the people of Manchester, we’re speaking to lots of very different types of people,” says Jane. “We had to develop approaches and messages that resonated with different people and met them where they were at.”

The key was leading with what actually matters to people. Rather than opening with carbon targets or climate statistics, the programme led with co-benefits that come along with climate action.

“It’s not just about climate. We work with communities who are facing pressure from many directions on a daily basis. Climate change is never going to be the priority if it’s only posed as such,” says Jane.

“We want to show that climate action can be stylish. It can be delicious. It can be affordable. It can save them money. It can be more convenient. It can create opportunities for new skills, new connections, improved health and well-being outcomes.

“Climate change isn’t a standalone topic. It’s woven strongly throughout all these other agendas, so we make sure climate change is linked to those other issues people care deeply about.”

Crucially, those messages were often delivered not by the programme team but by trusted voices from within communities themselves. Leaders in faith groups, sports clubs, and the community are all people who could speak to their own networks in a way that felt culturally relevant and genuine.

“The initiatives aren’t being imposed by the city,” says Ellie. “They’re coming from somebody within the community, someone who goes to their mosque or their football club, saying: ‘I did this and it worked for me. Give it a go.’ Those established, trusted voices have much more weight in their communities.”

Building a movement

In Our Nature has never been just about delivering projects. It is about building a network of people and communities who can inspire each other. Groups working on similar challenges in different parts of the city are brought together through community events, allowing them to share ideas, skills and experiences.

“It’s been a real gamechanger to connect these different groups across the city. They realise that they’re not alone in their work,” says Jane. “There’s another group facing similar challenges and we’re all aiming for the same thing.”

Using the right tone is critical to reach these diverse groups. Ellie explains: “We are not technical with our language. We are down to earth. We are not judgmental about wherever someone is on that journey. We celebrate small wins,” says Ellie. That distinctly Mancunian identity, she argues, is a real strength.

To support communities beyond direct engagement, the programme offers a growing Resource Hub on its website with over 200 practical guides co-created with Manchester residents. Many of these resources are also available in multiple languages

“Climate change is woven really strongly throughout all these other agendas,” says Jane. “And that’s what we’re very keen to demonstrate.”

From how to set up a community garden to how to conduct a home energy audit, the resources are designed to be used by anyone, anywhere.

Real impact, real numbers

Measuring impact was built into In Our Nature from the start. The programme tracks outcomes through an independently verified survey, carefully designed to avoid leading questions and assessed against a theory of change.

Crucially, the team recognised that not every project delivers every type of benefit. A community greenspace project might improve wellbeing and social connection but not neccesarily help people to save money for example, so data was collected only where specific benefits were genuinely possible.

The results are striking. So far, 1,570 have been able to save money, 982 learned new skills, 851 reported improved mental and emotional wellbeing, and 140 said the programme boosted their confidence. The demographics of participants broadly reflect Manchester as a whole, suggesting the programme is genuinely reaching across the city rather than only engaging those already motivated to act.

Perhaps the most powerful measure of impact is in the individual stories. Asma took part in a project helping women from Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Arab communities gain confidence using public transport independently.

“I used public transport after 15 years and it was so convenient,” she says. “It made me realise I don’t need a car all the time to get around. I had great fun.” For Asma, a climate action project became something far more personal: a step towards greater independence in her daily life.

To promote sustainable nutrition, In Our Nature partnered with Woolfe Football Community CIC to organise classes on cooking for enhanced athletic performance. The initiative changed how a 17-year old semi-professional football player approaches nutrition.

He says, “Playing football at a professional level is demanding but being a part of this project and knowing we’re making a positive impact on the environment is incredibly rewarding. Eating clean not only enhances our performance on the field but also supports a healthier planet, and it only takes small changes to make that start.

“Before, we didn’t have much education on these topics which is a shame in this industry especially when we are training to be athletes, but learning to cook nutritious meals has been a fun and valuable experience. The physical changes from eating healthier have been really beneficial, and I’ve even started incorporating vegan eating days thanks to the cooking classes.”

Learning across borders

Drawing on the experiences of cities including Tartu, Frankfurt and Zaragoza through the Grow Green and Zero Carbon Cities initiatives, Manchester adapted approaches that had worked elsewhere and built them into something distinctly its own. Now, the knowledge flows both ways.

A colleague working on the initiative was just in Stockholm sharing insights about In Our Nature with fellow Eurocities members as part of an ongoing reciprocal exchange. Closer to home, the programme works closely with Bristol, which runs a similar community climate engagement programme, and actively encourages the nine other local authorities that make up Greater Manchester to draw on its resources and methodology.

For Jane, the value of international collaboration goes beyond borrowing ideas. “Cracking the climate change issue is not easy. If it was, we’d have done it decades ago,” she says. “Being part of networks of peer organisations tackling the same opportunities and problems, even if they speak a different language or are in a different place, is incredibly valuable. That reciprocal arrangement is something we couldn’t do without.”

For cities looking to replicate In Our Nature’s approach, the message is straightforward: start with what matters most to people, work through trusted community voices, and do not be afraid to reach out to peers who are facing the same challenges.

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Manchester’s In Our Nature programme is one of the shortlisted ‘City Initiatives’ at the Eurocities Awards 2026. You can view the full awards shortlist here.

The winners will be announced at the Eurocities Annual Conference in Utrecht, 8-10 June 2026. Register for the Annual Conference to join the ceremony.

Photos copyright: City of Manchester.