The localism agenda is central to the Coalition’s programme for government. It has the potential to result in innovative approaches to tackling climate change and powerful new partnerships to drive action. But it also presents challenges, as meeting national climate change targets relies on local commitment to reduce emissions.

This pamphlet, published as part of our Climate Leadership Programme, brings together the perspectives of three Coalition MPs: Damian Hinds, MP for East Hampshire; Martin Vickers, MP for Cleethorpes; and Julian Huppert, MP for Cambridge. In it they give their views on how government can link two crucial aims: tackling climate change and empowering local areas.

The MPs agree that local areas have a vital role to play in meeting our ambitious carbon reduction targets, but also make clear that greater freedom at the local level must be supported by a strong national framework offering the right incentives for action. They lay down a clear challenge to government – to move from the first wave of localism to a more confident, radical second wave, to give local areas the power, motivation and responsibility to take action.

We would like to thank the Pure Climate Foundation for their support of this work.