Commission puts focus on resilience at city event

An event on ‘Delivering the Leeds Ambitions’ brought together city partners, councillors and council officers to listen, share and learn from each other as they discussed the plan for Leeds.  

The annual ‘State of the City’ event, which was held at Leeds City Museum on 3 December 2025, focused on the four Leeds Ambitions – Healthy, Growing, Thriving, and Resilient – was an opportunity to focus on collating ideas around what actions can be taken collectively and collaboratively to progress the Ambitions as ‘Team Leeds’. 

Leeds Climate Commission is the convening partner for the Resilient: Sustainable City Ambition, which will deliver Leeds’ commitment to become the UK’s first net zero and nature positive city.  

Workshops were held on each of the ambitions, with Leeds Climate Commission running the Resilient: Sustainable City session. It was led by Climate Commissions Director Rosa Foster with Cllr Mohammed Rafique, Executive Member for Climate, Energy, Environment and Green Spaces (pictured above), and Cllr Debra Coupar, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Resources. 

What could Leeds look like?

Table discussions interrogated the three goals underpinning this ambition, facilitated by Commissioners and experts, and supported by council officers. Each table was asked to address a question about the future, looking at what Leeds would look like if it was well-adapted and connected to nature,  how Leeds can become the UK’s first net zero city, and what a city where people did not need to own their cars could look like. 

Commissioner and academic Susi Lorenz led the discussion on nature and adaptation, supported by Polly Cook, Chief Officer for Climate, Energy and Green Spaces. Leeds Climate Commission Programme Manager Millie Duncan, supported by policy officer Rachel Waterhouse, led a discussion on what information and communication style would help people act on rapid emissions reduction. A third discussion group, led by Hannah Pettavel of the University of Leeds Climate Plan team, addressed the improving connectivity and sustainable transport goal with support from Gary Bartlett, Chief Officer for Highways and Transportation. 

Valuable insights

“The insights we received are hugely valuable in helping us build momentum towards the ambition,” said Rosa Foster. “The need to protect and keep improving our green spaces, and how much they mean to people, especially for play, came through strongly, as did the need to collaborate with schools and community groups, and really highlight the benefits to people’s health and wellbeing. 

“We also got a very strong steer on the communication style that would encourage people to act, from using clear and simple language and visuals to demonstrating tangible results and incorporating real-life stories. 

“We will be taking all of these insights forward as we work with people across the city creating visions of what a resilient and sustainable Leeds could look like, and to build momentum across Team Leeds towards achieving that.” 

Read more about Leeds Climate Commission’s role in the Leeds Ambitions