Last year Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor launched the Community Environment Fund and now 58 projects will share the cash. Tony McDonough reports
A £500,000 Community Environment Fund launched by Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram is giving cash to 58 separate projects.
They are set to contribute to the city region’s target of being net carbon zero by 2040 and improve people’s surroundings. They will also offer health benefits, encourage long-term behavioural change and promote community engagement and participation in environmental education programmes.
The projects include Sefton Council’s Clean Air Crew which has been developed by teachers to engage with children and families on air quality and encouraging behaviour change.
And ReStore St Helens, a project upcycling furniture in a deprived area reducing items ending up in landfill while supporting residents. It also gives carbon literacy training to local community groups, supporting them to turn their commitments into local climate action.
Other projects include creating community gardens, wild flowering meadows, composting projects, understanding our carbon footprint, reducing food waste, boosting bee populations and encouraging cycling.
Mr Rotheram said: “Since I was elected Mayor, tackling the climate crisis has been one of my top priorities and I was proud that we were the first Combined Authority in the country to declare a climate emergency in recognition of the scale of the challenge we face.
“But it’s not something that we can tackle alone and that’s why I launched the Community Environment Fund: to empower local communities to take action to improve their local environment. Together, lots of small actions can help us make a big contribution to making our region cleaner, greener and more sustainable.”
The successful Community Environment Fund projects support the following themes:
- Climate change and resilience
- Air quality and transport
- Water
- Accessible green spaces, habitats and biodiversity
- Waste and resources
- Health and wellbeing
- Carbon and environment literacy
- Energy reduction
- Food and agriculture