Cumbria CVS Green Blog No 21 – November 2025
November 7, 2025
Welcome back to Cumbria CVS Green!
In our twenty-first blog post, Rachel Miller, Volunteering Support Officer – This Is Us Project, makes some though-provoking points about how your pension pot could be invested in fossil fuels, or linked to deforestation.
If you have any suggestions about what you’d like to see in our regular updates, let us know! Contact us by emailing info@cumbriacvs.org.uk
You can find our what we’re doing to minimise our environmental impact and find details of organisations supporting positive environmental action in Cumbria on our Climate Commitment page here
Catch up on our other blog posts here
Greening your pension
If I said you are investing in deforestation and fossil fuel extraction, how would you feel?
Yet this may be the case. Many of us will have pension pots hidden away, to which we rarely pay any attention. And this is our money – £3 trillion in total – so we can influence how it is used.
According to Make My Money Matter, making your pension green is 21x more powerful at cutting your carbon than giving up flying, going veggie and switching energy provider. Just think, the money in your pension pot could even be invested for good – funding new and sustainable technology, for example, which will make a positive impact on the planet.
£3,000
per pension saver
is invested in fossil fuels
£2 in every £10
saved in your pension
is linked to deforestation
Each pension fund option is governed by a set of criteria which direct the investment decisions made by the fund managers. This includes, for example, stating types of investments to include (e.g. stocks, cash, derivatives or bonds), attitude to risk, UK or overseas funds, or particular sectors to invest in. You may find that there is an option for you to invest in a fund which is managed ethically. This might avoid any investments in deforestation, fossil fuels, tobacco products, industries which contribute to unfair working practices, or the arms industry, or might actively invest in products which contribute to positive stewardship of climate, earth or communities.
As an individual, you may not have the option to switch pension provider, but many providers offer a range of different funds with different investment principles, and you can often choose one which better aligns with your values.
At a wider level, there has been action to persuade the Cumbria Pension Fund – who manage local authority pensions for Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness Councils – to green their investments. This action, led by Cumbria Divest, would bring these funds in line with the declaration of a climate emergency.
So, if you can, visualise yourself in retirement. What kind of world would you like to live in? What would you like your legacy to future generations to be?
Which would you rather see in your retirement?
ACTION
- If you have savings in pension funds, find out if there is a sustainable / ethical fund option and make the switch.
- Join in actions to demand that pension companies invest for the future of the planet – a future into which we would want to retire.
- If you manage a pension scheme for your organisation, ask whether there are any changes you can make. Can the default fund into which employees are registered be the green choice? Or can you switch to a different provider? See the Green Pensions Guide here.
- Speak to your Councilor about the investment decisions made by Cumbria Pension Fund.
Note, you are advised to seek guidance on investment decisions as they may affect the value of your pension when you reach retirement.
Cumbria Sustainability Network: Planning and persuasion
Wednesday 12th November, Penrith. Join colleagues and new contacts from across Cumbria working on climate and nature initiatives. Take part in workshops to set CSN priorities for 2026, explore ways to collaborate, and gain insights from Climate Outreach on building trust and communicating clearly.
Creating Community Sustainability Hubs
Tuesday 18th November, online. Centre for Sustainable Energy is hosting this webinar with Parisa Wright from Greener & Cleaner about creating Community Sustainability Hubs as a route for genuinely inclusive grassroot action on energy and climate change.
The webinar will introduce the Community Sustainability Hub model and provide practical ideas and advice on how to create a more permanent and prominent community sustainability space in your own area, with the potential for further (free/funded) one-on-one consulting and support.
This is a chance to hear a positive story in challenging times and get the tools to make a lasting difference in your local community and the natural world around you.
We will be recording the webinar so if you are interested but unable to attend on the day please still register and we will send you a link to the recording after the event.
Climate Action Plans for Educational Settings
Tuesday 25th November, online: Our friends at Futureproof Cumbria are running webinars to help school leaders, teachers and governors develop climate action plans.
Discover ready-made tools, practical ideas, and the confidence to take meaningful steps – no matter where your school is on its sustainability journey. Tickets £25.
The Home Heat Pump Advantage: Smarter, Warmer, Greener
Tuesday 25th November, Kendal. Join Futureproof Cumbria to find out more about heat pump technology. We’ll cut through the jargon, bust common myths, and show you how heat pumps can make your home warmer, greener, and more efficient.
Hear about Cumbrian households with real-life examples of homes like yours where heat pumps are already delivering results, and find out about our new Heat Pump Support Service — designed to help you check if your home is ‘heat pump ready’, access grants, and connect with trusted local installers.
Environmental and Sustainability Policy Training
Friday 8th December, online. Cumbria CVS is running a free Environmental and Sustainability Policy training session, with guest speakers from Futureproof Cumbria will share practical insights and examples to help your organisation write or improve its environmental policy.
Book your place here or email emily.wilson@cumbriacvs.org.uk
3 things to do this month for a greener Cumbria
1️⃣ Read the Cumbria Climate Assembly’s recommendations and sign the Charter to show your support. Already signed it? Share it with 3 friends!
🔗 https://ow.ly/fX1T50Xazri
2️⃣ Check what’s in season before heading to the shops – this stuff will likely have a lower carbon impact and be cheaper, too!
🥦From apples and squash to broccoli and leeks, see a list here: https://ow.ly/QKzF50Xazrb
3️⃣ Most car trips in England are made with an average 1.5 passengers! Lift share, walk, cycle or use public transport for at least one journey you’d usually make by car.
👉 Public transport planner here: https://ow.ly/mwqj50Xazrh
Global renewable energy generation surpasses coal for first time
The world’s wind and solar farms have generated more electricity than coal plants for the first time this year, marking a turning point for the global power system, according to research.
A report by the climate thinktank Ember found that in the first six months of 2025, renewable energy outpaced the world’s growing appetite for electricity, leading to a small decline in coal and gas use.
The world generated almost a third more solar power in the first half of the year compared with the same period in 2024, meeting 83% of the global increase in electricity demand. Wind power grew by just over 7%, allowing renewables to displace fossil fuels for the first time.
Westmorland and Furness Council adopts Fleet Decarbonisation and Replacement Strategy 2025–2035
Westmorland and Furness Council has approved its Fleet Decarbonisation and Replacement Strategy 2025–2035, marking a major step forward in the authority’s commitment to achieving carbon net zero.
The strategy outlines how the Council will decarbonise its fleet of around 390 vehicles over the next decade, ensuring it is prepared for the UK Government’s 2030 and 2035 deadlines to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles.
The Council’s vehicle fleet currently produces greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to around 1,400 cars, with 84% of emissions generated by specialist heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and light commercial vehicles (LCVs). The new strategy sets out a clear pathway to reduce these emissions by 74% through a combination of introducing electric vehicles and transitioning to renewable fuels.
Climate Outreach – Britain Talks Nature Report
Climate Outreach, an organisation that focuses on public engagement with climate change, have published their 2025 report Britain Talks Climate & Nature 2025, analysing what people across Britain think and feel about climate and nature.
This report is based on the most up to date and far-reaching exploration of what people think and, most importantly, feel, about climate and nature in 2025. It’s based on extensive surveys of more than 7,000 people and focus groups around Britain.
You can read the report and access their climate communications toolkit on the Climate Outreach website.
Job opportunity: Zero Carbon Cumbria – Partnership Manager
A Partnership Manager is being sought to extend the reach and influence of the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership, and ensure a strong, effective relationship with funders through budget and project management.
Win great local prizes and help towards a greener Cumbria!
Futureproof Cumbria have launched their first ever Festive Prize Draw; by taking part, your small act of kindness could spark real climate action right here in Cumbria.
Enter and you could win one of 20 amazing local prizes, donated by some fabulous Cumbrian businesses including: A 3-night stay in a beautiful Eden Valley holiday let; Lunch for two at Michelin-starred The Cottage in the Wood; A box of natural skincare treats from Bath House; Center Parcs day passes.
You’ll also help fund the local climate action that matters most — warmer homes, greener schools, thriving communities, and empowered young people.
