The Greater London Authority's Environment Committee convened to discuss climate finance, review responses to prior committee outputs, and note its work programme. The committee noted reports on climate finance initiatives and delegated authority to the chair to agree on any resulting actions. They also reviewed responses from the Mayor of London and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Nature regarding previous committee recommendations.

• Climate Finance The committee convened to examine the effectiveness of the GLA's climate finance initiatives aimed at accelerating London's transition to net zero and enhancing climate resilience. They were particularly interested in ways to scale up climate finance from financial markets to meet the Mayor's targets. The committee was reminded that in 2018, the Mayor of London declared a climate emergency and set a goal to reach net zero by 2030, requiring an estimated £75 billion in capital investment. The report highlighted several GLA initiatives:

  • The Green Finance Fund (GFF), which offers loan finance at rates below the Public Works Loan Board to encourage investment in green projects.
  • The London Energy Efficiency and Decentralised Generation Fund (EDGE fund), a £100 million fund focused on large-scale energy projects.
  • The Zero Carbon Accelerator, which provides project development support to climate projects.
  • The Mayor's Energy Efficiency Fund (MEEF), which previously utilized EU and private funding but has ceased new investments.

  The committee was also reminded of the recommendations from the London Climate Resilience Review, which suggested that London should aspire to be a global hub for climate resilience services. The committee agreed to note the report and delegate authority to the chair, in consultation with party group lead members, to agree any output arising from the discussion.

• Responses to Committee Outputs The committee considered the Mayor of London's response to their report, Involving Londoners in the Pathway to Net Zero by 2030. The Mayor expressed his commitment to tackling climate change and agreed on the importance of engaging with Londoners. The Mayor's response addressed the committee's recommendations, including:

  • Publishing a net zero climate dashboard to track progress.
  • Amending guidance for Mayoral decisions to include an analysis of the effect of the decision on CO2 equivalent emissions in London.
  • Developing a public engagement strategy for net zero.
  • Convening a Town Hall climate conference at City Hall to engage Londoners in the run-up to COP30¹ in November 2025.
  • Piloting participatory budgeting approaches to allocate funding for net zero initiatives.
  • Using the London Partnership Board and its new Energy Mission to monitor and accelerate action towards the net zero target.
  • Backing London as a 'net zero trailblazer city' and supporting its ambitions with a multi-year financial settlement from the government.

  The committee also reviewed a response from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Nature regarding the committee's letter concerning tree protections in the Town and Country Planning Act. The Under-Secretary acknowledged the concerns and noted that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) had conducted a review into the effectiveness of existing protection measures for valuable trees and were currently reviewing the recommendations. The committee agreed to note the responses.

• Action Taken Under Delegated Authority The committee noted the action taken by the chair, Léonie Cooper AM, following consultation with party group lead members, to agree on a letter to the Mayor of London regarding London's trees in a changing climate. The letter, which was approved on 18 July 2025, highlighted the importance of trees in London and the vulnerability of many species to climate change. It also referenced research by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBG Kew) on cultivating trees better suited to London's future climate. The letter included several recommendations for the Mayor:

  • Publish clear, evidence-based tree species selection guidance.
  • Develop an action plan with nurseries, RBG Kew, and trade representatives to identify priority climate-resilient species and increase their commercial availability by 2035.
  • Convene local authorities to consider pre-ordering climate-resilient species and planning multi-year planting strategies.
  • Provide innovation funding through the Green Roots Fund² to evaluate new approaches to street tree aftercare and disseminate the results.
  • Require annual updates on the survival status of funded trees and work with the London Urban Forest Partnership to collate and analyse London-wide data on tree types planted and survival rates.
  • Develop a working group to review the impact of tree-related insurance claims and develop recommendations to strengthen tree retention.

• Environment Committee Work Programme The committee noted its work programme and additional activities undertaken since its last meeting, including site visits to parks in Central London, Epping Forest, and Biggin Hill Airport. The confirmed schedule of meetings was:

  • 16 October 2025: Airports
  • 4 November 2025: Heat Networks 1
  • 3 December 2025: Heat Networks 2
  • 8 January 2026: Heat Networks 3
  • 3 February 2026: To be determined
  • 3 March 2026: Question and Answer with the Deputy Mayor