Community Action for the Environment: Small Enough to Care, Big Enough to Make a Difference

Introduction

This research explores how communities take action to address environmental issues and climate change. It aims to understand:

• ways to encourage behaviour change

• the co-benefits of climate action

• how to make community led climate activity more inclusive and representative

The research is based on experiences of groups funded by The National Lottery Community Fund.

The findings are intended for people who are setting up, improving, commissioning or delivering environmental work in communities across the UK.

Findings

The research found that community action can play an important role in addressing environmental challenges and supporting climate action. Local groups can:

• bring people together

• build awareness

• encourage practical environmental activities

• lead and inspire behaviour change

• offer local solutions for problems that can seem intimidatingly complex and abstract

Community-led work can also strengthen local ownership of environmental solutions.

The research also found that:

• community action supporting the environment can deliver important co-benefits

• people and communities can and do make a difference in climate action

• to encourage environmental action, make it easy and attractive, and appeal to people’s values

• practical activities such as conservation, food growing and energy projects build local engagement

• community leadership strengthens participation and long-term commitment to environmental change

• welcoming and enabling diversity makes environmental action more inclusive