Cambridgeshire County Council has achieved its first ever CDP ‘A’ score, placing the county among a select group of global leaders recognised for robust climate action, transparency, and long-term resilience.
This prestigious rating places Cambridgeshire on CDP’s annual A List, the highest possible score awarded by the world’s leading environmental disclosure organisation.
CDP, formerly known as the ‘Carbon Disclosure Project’, operates the world’s only independent global environmental reporting system, used by more than 1,200 cities, states and regions worldwide. Cambridgeshire has participated annually since 2021, using CDP reporting to meet its UN backed Race to Zero commitments and to benchmark its progress against international climate standards.
To achieve an ‘A’ rating, entrants must meet stringent leadership criteria, including public disclosure of environmental data, maintaining a comprehensive countywide emissions inventory, publishing an evidence-based climate action plan, and completing a full climate risk and vulnerability assessment.
CDP assesses not only what areas are doing, but how they deliver climate action, ensuring transparency, credibility and integrity.
Cambridgeshire’s high score reflects years of strengthening governance, data transparency and cross sector collaboration.
Cambridgeshire County Council has steadily improved its CDP performance, most recently progressing from A minus in 2023 and 2024, to A in 2025 (published today, 8 January 2026).
This progress reflects stronger reporting practices, more comprehensive climate risk assessments, and the council’s commitment to transparency and avoiding greenwash.
As a signatory to the UN’s Race to Zero, Cambridgeshire reports annually on its climate ambitions and progress - CDP serving as a key mechanism for meeting those obligations.
The Council’s ‘A’ score is the result of work across multiple climate domains, including:
- Leadership and partnerships with regional stakeholders
- Clear climate targets and evidence of local adaptation and mitigation planning
- Countywide data transparency, including emissions inventories and climate hazard assessments
- Commitments to global standards that reflect credible climate action.
CDP emphasises that these high scores represent global best practice.
Cllr Ros Hathorn, Chair of the Environment and Green Investment Committee at Cambridgeshire County Council, said:
“This achievement is the result of years of hard and focused work across the county. Earning an ‘A’ from CDP shows strong endorsement and recognition of our work on climate action.
“Our residents, partners and communities have all played a vital role in helping us drive down emissions, build resilience and face climate risks openly and honestly.
“We will continue to push forward with the same ambition that earned this score, ensuring Cambridgeshire remains on the path to a fairer, greener future.”
Taking part in CDP gives Cambridgeshire:
- Independent, third-party validation of climate progress
- The ability to compare itself against leading global jurisdictions
- Insights into gaps in local approaches relative to international climate standards
- A single, internationally recognised route to meeting Race to Zero reporting commitments.
CDP data is widely used by governments, investors, financial institutions and global climate bodies, including the UN, IPCC, WHO and World Bank, to shape environmental policy and investment.
