Sustainability and climate change

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has made tackling the climate and ecological emergency one of its long-term priorities, recognising that climate change presents significant risks to residents, businesses, biodiversity and future prosperity. Following the declaration of an Environment and Climate Emergency in 2019, the Council committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions across the borough by 2050, while protecting and enhancing the natural environment. 

A borough-wide approach

We recognise that the Council cannot achieve climate goals alone. Its ambition is to create a whole-borough movement, bringing together:

• Residents and local communities.
• Businesses and employers.
• Schools and young people.
• Parish councils.
• Voluntary and community organisations.
• Healthcare partners.
• Developers and housing providers.

The Council’s approach focuses on enabling collaboration, supporting local innovation and encouraging behaviour change alongside technical carbon reduction measures. 

The Environment and Climate Strategy

The refreshed Environment and Climate Strategy 2026–2035 provides the long-term framework for climate action across the borough. It builds upon the previous Environment and Climate Strategy 2020 – 2025, while recognising the increasing urgency of both the climate and biodiversity crises.

You can read about our work so far in the Environment and Climate Strategy page

The strategy will be supported by annual reporting, two five-year action plans to cover the 10-year period and regular reviews to ensure progress remains measurable and accountable.  

Areas of action 

The council’s ambitions span multiple themes including our priority themes:

• Energy: improving energy efficiency, promoting renewable energy and supporting the transition away from fossil fuels.
• Sustainable Transport: encouraging walking, cycling, public transport and electric vehicles while reducing transport emissions.
• Natural Environment: protecting biodiversity, increasing tree planting, improving habitats and expanding green infrastructure.
• Circular Economy: reducing waste, encouraging repair and reuse, and supporting sustainable consumption.
• Climate Adaptation: preparing communities and infrastructure for hotter summers, flooding and extreme weather events.

Golden Threads 

These run through all our priorities.

• Behaviour Change: helping to shift habits, choices and consumption to reduce emissions and support sustainable actions.
• Health and Wellbeing: recognising that cleaner air, greener spaces and active travel improve both physical and mental health.  

Vision for the Future

By combining strategic leadership with strong community engagement, RBWM aims to demonstrate how local government, residents and partners can work together to address the climate crisis while improving quality of life across the borough.