Action planning for a better future

Your task is to create an Action Plan for one area of change that you want to see which will have a positive impact on the climate crisis.   

1) Level of change 

You can write your Action Plan for any of the following levels:- 

• Global – you are a world leader at a COP summit 
• Leeds City wide – you are a city councillor 
• Your local community – you are you! Choose a community area which you are a part of and might influence in some way 
• Your family – you are you, and an important sphere in which you may have significant influence is your family 

2) Your main aim 

Once you have chosen a level that you will be planning for, pick just one change that you want to bring about.  The action plan will then be based on steps to bring about that one change.  For example, if your level of change is ‘the city of Leeds’, you might want to choose ‘increase rates of cycling across the city by 50% by 2028’.  If the level is ‘your community’, then you might choose ‘reduce carbon emissions from heating homes on my estate’.  State your aim and explain how achieving it will impact positively on the climate crisis. What research do you need to do to help you plan for your main aim in an informed way?  Is your main aim SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timed)?  

You will then be working on the following sections of your plan: 

3) Steps to success 

What are the steps which will help you achieve your main aim? (Maximum 5 steps)   

4) Timescale 

How much time is needed to bring about each of the steps to success?  Can they happen alongside each other or is one dependent on another? How much time before you can realistically achieve your your main aim?  

5) Resources needed 

What resources do you need in order to take each of your steps to success?  How will you access these? 

6) Allies and influencers 

Who do you need help from to achieve your steps to success and how will you ensure that you get it?  

7) Breaking down barriers 

What are the barriers which may prevent you from achieving your steps to success?  How will you address these? 

8) Monitoring and sustainability 

How will you know when your aim has been achieved? What do you need to measure to find out?  How can you ensure that your achievement is sustainable and will last?