Bristol City Council South Gloucestershire Council West of England Combined Authority, Environment Agency (partners)

This award is open to a single council or where appropriate a partnership of councils, or a council-owned company. Private sector or public sector partners can enter on a council’s behalf, with the permission of the council itself. Councils are uniquely placed to effect change in response to the climate crisis. This award is intended to mark excellence in any aspect of a council’s work in addressing the carbon footprint of the council, its services and its broader local area. Entries may include work to capture climate benefits from changed behaviours or work with local businesses and communities to address the climate crisis, to both enable economic growth and secure environmental improvements. Entries will be judged on the innovation of their submissions, the extent to which it has delivered measurable change, the quality of evidence of support from local communities, and the ability for other councils to replicate the work.

The Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise Area (ASEA) Ecology Mitigation and Flood Defence Project is an exemplary and innovative response to climate change threats. The project, delivered by a unique partnership between South Gloucestershire Council and Bristol City Council with the Environment Agency, is protecting communities and wildlife against anticipated rising sea levels and will unlock economic growth. When complete in 2026, it will provide 17km of flood defences from Aust in South Gloucestershire to Shirehampton in Bristol. These will reduce flood risk to 2,500 homes and businesses, help unlock 1,200 new jobs, and create a minimum of 80ha of new wetlands habitat.