Earth Day 2026: How are local projects building national strength and resilience?

Carbon Copy was born out of a realisation that place-based, collaborative environmental initiatives are an important and under-recognised tool in our efforts to address the climate and nature emergencies. We’ve always marked Earth Day, but rarely has the theme given to this global awareness day felt so relevant to our work in the UK. 

 “Our Power, Our Planet” is, according to the day’s organisers, about highlighting the “role of collective action in shaping environmental outcomes beyond formal governance structures alone.” 

Within this theme, are two pillars, the first of which is about local resilience.  

What is local resilience? 

When it comes to local environmental action, resilience can have multiple meanings. A resilient community is one that is physically safe and protected from the impacts of climate change. Where the population is prepared for extreme weather events (flooding, heatwaves, drought) and where adaptations are in place, or at least in progress, so that people are able to continue with their way of life. 

But resilience isn’t just about climate. Resilient projects and organisations are those that can weather different kinds of storms. That are agile, pragmatic, resourceful and collaborative. Organisations like those we spoke to, as part of our in-depth research into the shared characteristics of the most successful environmental initiatives in the UK. 

Remarkably common 

In our report, “From Footprint to Changeprint,” we uncovered 12 success factors that are common amongst high-impact local climate and nature projects. These were grouped under three core characteristics: Abundance, Belonging and Purpose; all of which are fundamentally important to the idea of building local resilience. 

Initiatives that embrace a mindset of Abundance are more resilient by appreciating and embracing the people, knowledge and resources available to them. They are not beholden to intermittent funding or temporary government support, rather they build their success and resilience around what they have and what they can develop through creativity, resourcefulness and a willingness to bring different voices and groups to the table. 

Secondly, initiatives enacted with a sense of Belonging help local people and stakeholders to feel valued and to value the efforts of those leading the work. A project that is serving specific local needs and concerns is more likely to flourish long-term, and will benefit from the buy-in of those it serves. Projects that are inclusive, give participants a feeling of ownership and engage the wider community are more likely to create lasting positive impact. 

Finally, taking a Purposeful approach to implementing projects also helps build resilience locally. Organisations that are pragmatic and prepared for different eventualities last longer and can do more. In taking this deliberate approach, our research uncovered the importance of learning by doing, and from mistakes and challenges, to propel a project forward to greater success. 

Through the 600 or so climate action stories in our national collection, through our Changeprint research and through the conversations with changemakers that fed into our report; we’ve established clear evidence of a groundswell of highly collaborative, remarkably resilient and genuinely impactful local initiatives across the UK.  

The roots of power 

We launched Changeprint earlier this year because we wanted some way to qualify and quantify what we’ve known for years: the narrative that the climate and nature emergencies are unsolvable is false. The story that we are powerless is fiction. The message that we should wait for action from the top is dangerous. The change we so desperately want is within not beyond our reach. 

The meaning of this year’s Earth Day theme is clear. What’s happening on a global level doesn’t need to derail efforts on the ground; indeed place-based initiatives are fundamentally protecting communities in a way that national and international policy often fails to.  

The initiatives shared on Carbon Copy and those that have contributed to our research are living proof of the power of collective action to affect positive change and build resilience.  

To learn more about how, download From Footprint to Changeprint now.