By Abdullahi Lukman
Bristol City Council has introduced the Bristol Climate Action Investment (BCAI) scheme, an initiative that allows residents to invest directly in projects aimed at making the city carbon neutral.
Developed in partnership with ethical investment platform Abundance Investment, the scheme seeks to raise up to £1 million in its initial phase, with additional funding rounds planned over the next 18 months, potentially bringing the total to £2 million.
The funds will be used to implement energy-efficient upgrades in council-owned buildings, reducing emissions and lowering energy costs.
These upgrades will include the installation of heat pumps, solar panels, and LED lighting, which will help reduce reliance on fossil fuels and improve the sustainability of public services.
Among the first buildings to benefit from the initiative are Belbrook Children’s Respite Unit, Ridingleaze Social Services Office in Lawrence Weston, and the Symes Avenue Social Services building in Hartcliffe.
To encourage broad participation, investments in the scheme start at just £5 with no fixed upper limit, making it accessible to a wide range of residents.
Investors will receive a fixed return of 4.2 percent over a five-year period, with payments made every six months.
Additionally, investments can be held in an Innovative Finance ISA, allowing returns to be earned tax-free.
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Councillor Martin Fodor, chair of the Environment and Sustainability Committee, highlighted the initiative’s potential to support local sustainability efforts.
“The fund is there to help make practical climate projects happen in the city that will save and switch to clean energy, making services run cleaner and more efficiently, and these will all pay back,” he stated, urging residents to take advantage of the opportunity to contribute to Bristol’s green transition.
Karl Harder, co-founder and director of Abundance Investment, emphasized the significance of local participation in tackling climate change.
He described the scheme as a “great opportunity” to demonstrate how communities can drive meaningful environmental action through investment.
Bristol City Council has already made significant strides in reducing emissions, having cut its carbon footprint by half since 2015.
The BCAI is expected to accelerate this progress by enabling the funding of more local sustainability projects.
Future plans under the scheme may include *expanding solar panel installations, upgrading street lighting to more energy-efficient alternatives, and exploring further renewable energy solutions* to power public buildings and infrastructure.
As Bristol continues its transition towards carbon neutrality, the council sees community investment as a vital tool in financing green projects while ensuring that residents can directly benefit from the city’s sustainability efforts.
The initiative not only helps tackle climate change but also creates a financial incentive for residents to support a greener future.
