The Climate Emergency
Since its inception in 2014, Queen’s Park Community Council (QPCC) has been committed to protecting and enhancing the environment in and around Queen’s Park, Westminster.
In 2020, the Council declared a Climate Emergency following the Greater London Authority (GLA) identifying Queen’s Park among the highest-risk areas for flooding and extreme heat. As part of this declaration, QPCC pledged to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for Council operations by May 2022. Another unanimous decision in 2021 pledged to support the decarbonisation of the entire neighbourhood by 2040 – in line with Westminster City Council’s target for the borough.
The Climate Emergency Working Group was established to oversee the progress of these targets and pursue projects addressing the Climate Emergency in Queen’s Park.
Since then, the Climate Emergency working group – open to all members of the public – has initiated several projects to move QPCC and the broader community towards its decarbonisation ambitions. As part of the Working Group’s activities, an environmental audit of QPCC’s operations was commissioned in 2021. The emissions calculation utilised the ISO Standard 14064-1 (2018) methodology and the Community Council’s 2019/20 municipal year emissions, as this was the most recent year before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted operations.
The calculations estimated that QPCC emitted 0.76 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (t CO2e) during this period.
The environmental audit also produced several recommendations which are now included in the Community Council’s Environmental Policy, including:
- Decarbonising QPCC’s current/future office space
- Requiring all contractors to minimise their environmental impact
- Offsetting QPCC activities with certified carbon credits bought from offset schemes based in the UK, with preference given to those most local and with co-benefits. For example, enhancing biodiversity or education opportunities
- Investigating and investing in projects which can mitigate the negative impacts of global heating and reduce emissions
- Ensuring open spaces in the ward are managed in a way that both maximises their potential for community use and increases opportunities for nature to thrive
- Encouraging active (walking or cycling) and sustainable travel
- Promoting exemplary sustainable developments through our Neighbourhood Plan and Conservation Area Planning Guide, such as:
- Promoting a high standard of environmental performance for new developments and retrofitting existing properties
- Supporting sustainable transport through the provision of secure cycle storage and improved pedestrian access
Download the full Environmental Policy
Climate and Environmental Projects
Air Quality Monitoring
QPCC’s Air Quality Working Group carries out quarterly monitoring of the quality of air in key areas across the community. Results are published to the Place Committee and made accessible to residents on the Community Council’s website.
To help improve air quality, the Working Group also supports planting air-purifying plants across the community.
Email the proper officer to get involved with the work of the Air Quality Working Group and for more information about air quality projects.
Community Clean-up and litter picking
We know that a litter-free environment promotes a sense of safety and pride in the community and has a positive impact on the local ecology and climate.
To supplement the efforts of the City Council, QPCC runs litter-picking events across the year. Local and corporate volunteers help maintain a clean, welcoming and healthy environment. All equipment is provided, and volunteers are treated to refreshments and a chance to socialise in the Queen’s Park Gardens after each session.
You can find more information about upcoming Community Clean-up events on our website or by emailing the proper officer.
The Big Queens’ Park Garden Clean-up
We run the Big Barden Clean-up project to make Queen’s Park a safe, beautiful and healthy place. The project utilises the support of corporate volunteers to help residents clean up and enhance their gardens with plants that contribute to air purification and the community’s beauty. This project prioritises elderly and disabled residents who face difficulty maintaining their gardens.
Residents can register to join the waiting list for this project by emailing the proper officer and will receive support on a first come- first serve basis.
Queen’s Park in Bloom 
As part of its contract with QPCC, Hammersmith Community Gardens Association (HCGA) runs the Queen’s Park in Bloom Project (QPiB) for the Community Council. The project seeks to enhance the beauty of our local community by encouraging and recognising residents for upkeeping their front gardens, window boxes and the tree pits outside their homes.
Queen’s Park in Bloom takes place annually during Spring, with HCGA volunteer gardeners visiting each street to observe and issue certificates to recognise homes that enhance our neighbourhood’s beauty. Residents issued with a certificate can claim a prize at the HCGA stall during the Queen’s Park Summer Festival. A winning street is also announced during the Summer Festival to recognise the street with the most awarded homes.
Email Ulla to get involved with gardening sessions, or email the proper officer to contact QPCC about Community Gardening projects.