Manchester has signed up to one of the most ambitious climate change targets in the world as the city seeks to become ‘zero carbon’ in just 20 years.

In a ground-breaking pledge, the town hall now aims to ensure all energy used in Manchester is green by 2038 - a far more challenging target than other British cities and most across the globe.

It would effectively mean that all transport and fuel in the city would be renewable by that point, including through widespread electrification of cars and public transport.

Homes and business would need to switch to clean energy, buildings will have to be retrofitted to improve their insulation and more green space created.

The pledge does not include emissions from flights at Manchester Airport, which would need to be covered by separate national agreements, it is understood.

But the plan has been welcomed by climate change activists across the country, with the council pointing out that achieving the goal would benefit the poorer and older people the most - those more likely to be living in fuel poverty in badly insulated houses or those at risk of flooding.

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In recent years the stark effects of climate change have risen up the agenda both domestically and internationally, with flooding and moorland fires in Greater Manchester linked by experts to global warming and the more extreme weather events associated with it.

Manchester’s pledge, while yet to be outlined in detail, is now aimed at ensuring the city plays its part in the Paris climate change accord aimed at radically slowing down global warming.

The city’s plans - which will be fleshed out next year - use calculations and projections from the Tyndall Centre at Manchester university and go beyond existing efforts to bring down the council’s own carbon emissions, which have been cut by a third since 2009.

They now bring forward Manchester’s ‘zero carbon’ target to 2038 from 2050, the goal for most other areas, including London, placing it in the top ten cities internationally for climate change goals.

The town hall now aims to support schools, social housing providers, tenants, businesses and housing developers to take their own steps in ensuring the city stops relying on fossil fuels and becomes more energy efficient.

“The scale of the challenge is significant, but it is clear that a more ambitious target and delivery plan is required for the city to play its full role in limiting the impact of climate change,” said a report tabled to the council’s executive today.

Coun Angeliki Stogia, the executive member in charge of the environment, told the meeting that Manchester is ‘well placed’ to rise to the challenge, with more than 2,000 businesses across the conurbation already specifically focused on green energy and industries related to it.

There is almost an important ‘social justice’ element to the target, she said, adding that people on lower incomes and poorer people - particularly due to fuel poverty and poor housing - are ‘disproportionately affected’ by climate change.

“We need to stop thinking about climate change as a peripheral issue and bring it into mainstream thinking,” she added.

National figures welcomed Manchester’s ambition.

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Lord Deben, chair of the independent committee on climate change and a former environment secretary, said: “This gives me real hope.

“How typical of Manchester to step forward and lead in this way. Making changes is never easy but cleaning up the local economy will really help people in Manchester and could become a blueprint for other cities around the world.

“My committee is here to help, as am I.”

Claire Perry, minister for energy and clean growth, added: “The case for tackling climate change is more stark than ever before, but it’s not just for government to tackle alone – communities and businesses also need to play their part.

“That is why we’re working with local leaders and businesses who know their areas and its unique strengths best to develop tailored local industrial strategies to drive growth across the UK while accelerating action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“Manchester’s ambitious target highlights how this city is confronting this challenge head on while seizing one of the greatest industrial opportunities of our time.”

Pollution caused by diesel emissions has shot up the local political agenda of late after the government passed responsibility for slashing nitrogen dioxide emissions - linked to more than 1,000 premature deaths here a year - to legal levels on to town halls.

Councils in Greater Manchester are currently considering how they go about doing that by 2021, with the charging of some vehicles on the table.

Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell described the council’s latest plan as a ‘big move’, including in respect of air pollution.

“Manchester was the world’s first industrial city – it’s part of our heritage, part of our fabric – but too many people locally are still affected by the loss of industrial jobs, by energy bills that are too high, and by air pollution,” she said.

“This commitment has the potential to help people affected by these problems now, and it will help us become a truly modern city.

“The details are vital and I’ll do all I can to make sure all Mancunians can have their say.”

Gavin Elliott, Chair of the Manchester Climate Change Board, said the move now makes Manchester a world leader on climate change.

“This places Manchester at the very forefront of world cities leading on this issue, and creates a massive opportunity to transform the city both environmentally, socially and economically.

“We’re very proud of the role the Climate Change Agency has played in helping the city to arrive at this point, and look forward to working with all stakeholders across the city to help them grasp this incredible opportunity, to the benefit of both our and future generations.”