The Environment, Climate and Transport Scrutiny Committee of Islington Council met on Tuesday 10 March 2026 to discuss the council's progress on climate action and resilience. The meeting featured presentations from council officers and community partners, highlighting achievements in decarbonisation, energy efficiency, green spaces, transport, and community engagement. Key discussions included the challenges and opportunities in scaling up community-led climate initiatives and the council's ongoing commitment to addressing the climate emergency.

Climate Action and Resilience in Islington

Islington Council has continued to make significant strides in its climate action efforts over the past year, with a strong emphasis on partnership working with local communities and organisations. The council has been recognised as a top-ranked single-tier authority in climate action scorecards. Councillor Ruth Hayes, Chair of the Environment, Climate and Transport Scrutiny Committee, highlighted that climate change affects all aspects of residents' lives, particularly those most vulnerable.

Councillor O'Halloran, Leader of the Council, expressed pride in the council's climate ambitions and its focus on resident priorities, integrating climate action into services such as ensuring comfortable homes, clean air, green spaces, and affordable fuel bills. He stressed that the council cannot tackle the climate crisis alone and that collaboration with residents and organisations is crucial.

Councillor Champion, Executive Member for Environment, Air Quality and Transport, acknowledged the passion of officers and organisations involved, particularly praising the Islington Climate Panel for providing crucial insights into residents' experiences. The council has been working to establish a dedicated climate action team and has seen significant efforts in waste and recycling, alongside a focus on making the borough more resilient to climate impacts.

Victoria Lawson, Chief Executive, provided context on the broader work happening across London and nationally, emphasising the need for bold and innovative thinking. She highlighted Islington's involvement in organisations like the City's Climate Investment Commission (3CI) and the Mayor of London's Task Force on Climate Investment.

Food Growing and Food Security

Andrew Bedford, Assistant Director for Green and More Active, outlined the council's efforts to support community food growing. This includes unlocking land for allotments, embedding food growing into planning and estate management, and working with community-led projects like Growing Communities and the Octopus Community Network. This approach is part of the borough-wide food strategy, which views food growing as both a climate and public health intervention. The council recently supported the People's Assembly on Food, organised by the Islington Climate Centre, to further integrate food growing into communities.

Community Energy and Decarbonisation

Wayne Stevenson, Corporate Director of Environment and Climate Change, discussed the opportunities in community energy. The borough has developed its energy plan, which will guide investment in decarbonisation. Islington is actively participating in a London-wide energy mission with the Greater London Authority (GLA) and is exploring options for investment and collaboration with community energy groups, including Power Up North London. Councillor Champion noted the government's priorities, including heat networks and community energy, and highlighted the council's commitment to developing work with community energy organisations.

Tree Management and Water Resilience

Councillor Caroline Russell raised a question about rainwater harvesting for watering trees during drought periods, given Islington's significant tree canopy. Andrew Bedford explained that the council is focusing on careful species selection for long-term tree health and uses watering bags to facilitate community involvement in watering trees. Communication campaigns encourage residents to use grey water where possible. Trees are watered for the first three years to establish them, with a planting guarantee in place.

Housing and Green Space Protection

Skiba Good, Head of Planning Policy and Viability, addressed the challenge of meeting housing targets without encroaching on green space. She explained that designated public open space is strongly protected within the local plan, and development would only occur in exceptional circumstances. For open spaces on housing estates, rigorous criteria are applied, prioritising the utilisation of parking spaces and re-organising open spaces to improve their quality, even if the quantity is reduced.

Chris Proctor questioned the council's master planning for available sites and its capacity to build the required volume of social housing. Skiba Good acknowledged that the council, like most local authorities, cannot meet the full extent of housing need due to endless demand. However, the council continuously identifies sites, including disused buildings and small plots of land. She highlighted the significant development at the former Holloway Prison site, which will deliver 1,000 homes, including 600 affordable housing units. Councillor Champion added that the council is exploring various avenues to increase housing stock, including bringing back Right to Buy properties and tackling subletting to ensure social housing is used as intended.

Decarbonisation of Housing Estates

Jana Rock inquired about the decarbonisation of housing estates and the transition to renewable energies. Sarah Hitchcock, Head of Climate Action, explained that the council is actively decarbonising estates, with projects underway at Bed and Court, and a new energy centre planned. The council has also benefited from government funding for retrofitting street properties, including external wall insulation, new heating, and windows. The primary challenge remains the cost, but the council is maximising available funding to implement carbon reduction measures.

Wayne Stevenson elaborated on the expansion of heat networks, particularly the Bunhill Heat and Power Network, and the council's work with the government on Heat Network Zones. He also mentioned exploring new investment models through strategic energy partnerships, acknowledging that the council cannot fund decarbonisation alone. Councillor Champion emphasised the importance of a fabric first approach to improve building insulation and comfort, and noted discussions around reforming the energy market to reduce electricity prices.

Car-Free Developments and Shared Mobility

Councillor Caroline Russell raised concerns about the withdrawal of Zipcar and its impact on residents in car-free developments. Wayne Stevenson confirmed that the council is negotiating with hire car companies to provide services within Islington and beyond, but acknowledged the challenge of replicating Zipcar's scale. He stated that the council is working with Transport for London (TfL) and other boroughs to develop a strategic approach to shared mobility. Sophia, a resident, echoed these concerns, highlighting the urgent need for solutions for car-free developments.

Community Resilience and the London Community Resilience Toolkit

Millie Williamson presented the London Community Resilience Toolkit, designed to help communities develop emergency plans and strengthen local action. She emphasised that resilience starts at the community level, with groups like faith centres, youth clubs, and neighbourhood networks playing a vital role. The toolkit provides practical resources for preparing for emergencies, including guidance on climate risks, templates for community emergency plans, volunteer management, and working with local authorities. She acknowledged the challenges faced by community groups, such as limited time and resources, but stressed the importance of supporting their work. Voluntary Action Islington is leading the development of three community emergency plans in Islington.

The Islington Climate Panel

Courtney Stevenson discussed the Islington Climate Panel, a group of 35 residents who worked to define what a climate-resilient Islington looks like. The panel focused on two key areas: greening the borough and community resilience. An update on the progress made since the panel concluded was presented, including the appointment of a new Community Resilience Officer. The panel's work has led to mapping cool spaces for residents during heatwaves and developing a pilot prayer space.

Community-Led Projects and Scaling Up

During a Q&A session, panellists discussed the barriers to scaling up community-led projects. Tanuja Pandit of Power Up North London highlighted the lack of core resources for staffing and the challenges faced by community organisations themselves. Pavel from Islington Fixers echoed the need for more staffing and a permanent venue to expand their repair activities. Julie Parrish of Octopus Community Network emphasised the need for infrastructure to connect to markets and collectivise buying power. Damien from The Felix Project pointed to the need for infrastructure to redistribute surplus food more effectively.

Refreshing the Climate Action Plan

Councillor Champion announced that Islington's Climate Action Plan is due for a refresh. The council is engaging with residents and organisations to gather feedback for a draft plan, which will be subject to public consultation. She urged all attendees to contribute and to encourage wider community engagement, particularly from groups that may not typically participate in such consultations.

Other Initiatives and Future Plans

The meeting also touched upon various other initiatives:

• Islington Greener Together: This programme encourages community ideas for greening projects, with seven projects selected for feasibility and design development in its second round.
• Liveable Neighbourhoods: Work continues on creating greener, safer streets, including segregated cycleways and School Streets.
• Zero Waste Café: Jean's Café at Jean Stokes Community Centre operates as a zero-waste, plant-based café using surplus food.
• Islington Sustainability Network (ISN): This network supports local businesses in reducing their carbon emissions, with over 150 members.
• Green Skills: Islington's Adult Community Learning (ACL) offers courses in digital skills for green living, cycle mechanics, and eco-family arts and crafts. A Green Skills hub at Holloway Park focuses on green construction careers.
• Waste and Recycling: The North London Joint Waste Strategy has been approved, and a new Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan is being developed. The council has seen a significant increase in website views for recycling information and has completed a successful food waste campaign.
• Transport: Islington continues to perform well in the Healthy Streets Scorecard and has seen increased usage of dockless hire bikes. The council is also expanding its electric vehicle charge point network.
• Air Quality: Pollution levels in Islington are at their best since monitoring began in 2000, with a 42% reduction in nitrogen dioxide levels since 2017. A new Air Quality Action Plan is forthcoming.
• Parks for Health: Islington's parks have received numerous awards, and partnerships with organisations like Age UK and The Garden Classroom continue to promote wellbeing.
• Climate and Play: A research study with University College London (UCL) explored how the changing climate affects children's outdoor play and wellbeing.

The meeting concluded with a call for continued engagement and participation in shaping Islington's climate future. Information on how to get involved in the climate action plan survey and other initiatives will be shared with attendees.