As part of our learning programme on place, we’re spotlighting how funders and community organisations are taking place-based approaches to tackle some of London’s biggest challenges. London is experiencing some of the most acute impacts of the climate crisis in the UK. According to the Greater London Authority’s London Climate Resilience Review, the capital faces rising temperatures, increasing flood risk, worsening air pollution, and more vulnerability to extreme weather events. In 2022, London recorded temperatures exceeding 40°C for the first time, marking a historic and dangerous milestone. These changes disproportionately affect disadvantaged communities, which are more likely to live in areas with poor air quality, limited access to green spaces, and inefficient housing. As climate pressures intensify, the need for locally rooted, community-led responses becomes more urgent.So what does it look like when communities lead on climate resilience in practice? And how can funders support approaches that are rooted in local knowledge, lived experience and place? In this learning interview, Dave Ahlquist from Locality reflects on the organisation’s work with community groups across London and beyond - exploring how practical support, peer learning and tailored funding can help unlock climate action that is both effective and equitable.
