The Climate, Sustainability and Travel Policy and Accountability Committee is scheduled to consider reports on decarbonising buildings and clean energy, as well as enhancing communications and climate engagement. The committee will also review its work programme for the upcoming municipal year.

Decarbonising Buildings and Clean Energy

A report is scheduled to be presented that will provide an overview of the Council's plans for clean energy and heat, focusing on how these initiatives contribute to achieving the Council's net zero target. The discussion is expected to cover the significant role of energy used for heating and powering homes and buildings, which accounts for approximately 80% of the borough's direct emissions. The report pack indicates that officers will present information on the work being completed regarding electrification, solar energy, and flexibility, alongside investment opportunities. It will also detail progress made in decarbonising heat across Hammersmith & Fulham's assets, including the installation of air source heat pumps in schools and corporate buildings through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. The committee is also scheduled to consider how the Council can scale up heat decarbonisation across the borough in the most economical way, and the key role that heat networks will play.

An external guest speaker from Local Partnerships is expected to discuss the new Heat Network Zoning regulations. This is significant as modelling suggests large parts of the borough are expected to be designated as heat network zones, with White City, OPDC, and Hammersmith Town Centre identified as priorities. The report pack states that Heat Network Zoning in H&F will attract green investment into the borough as it provides certainty to developers and gives more powers to facilitate the construction of heat networks. The speaker is scheduled to provide an overview of these regulations, explain how they will support heat network development in Hammersmith & Fulham, and outline how the council can prepare for them. The report also highlights the potential for positive equality impacts from this work, including reducing fuel poverty, improving air quality and public health, and providing local jobs and skills.

Enhancing Communications and Climate Engagement

The committee is scheduled to receive a report outlining the Council's current approach to stakeholder engagement in relation to the H&F Climate and Ecology Strategy and the Council's manifesto commitments. These commitments include reducing energy bills, cutting emissions, driving green growth, and improving air quality. The report pack indicates that officers will present on why engagement, education, and influence are considered pivotal to achieving the borough's climate, ecology, and transport targets. This will include an overview of the Climate and Transport team's engagement programmes and projects, such as business engagement, fostering a low-carbon culture, communications on climate action, community capacity building, and schools' climate education.

A specific programme, H&F Healthy Homes, will be highlighted as an example of how engagement and communications are leveraged to impact emissions, energy bills, and fuel poverty. The committee is scheduled to hear an introduction to the programme, an overview of the challenges and barriers to achieving its impact, and why engagement is seen as crucial to overcoming these. An update on engagement and communications delivered thus far, and how they will continue to support programme delivery, is also expected.

The charity Hubbub has been invited as an external guest speaker to discuss their involvement in the delivery of H&F Healthy Homes. Hubbub is expected to speak on the role of engagement in delivering climate action based on their national experience, their specific role within the H&F Healthy Homes programme, their views on the successes and learnings from engagement and communications for this programme, and their recommendations for future steps. The report pack notes that this climate engagement work has the potential to deliver positive equality impacts, such as reducing fuel poverty and improving air quality and public health.

Work Programme 2026/27

The committee is scheduled to note the work programme for the 2026/27 municipal year. This follows discussions at the previous meeting on 30 June 2026, where Councillor Ross Melton, Chair of the committee, outlined his ambition for the committee to act as an active participant and constructive adviser to the Administration, generating policy recommendations. The proposed approach for the work programme was to be structured around themes such as decarbonising buildings, transport, other emission sources, and enhancing communication and collaboration. Ecology and Biodiversity were also suggested as potential future themes for consideration.