Council staff from across Hertfordshire have come together to explore how they can play a bigger role in tackling climate change and protecting nature through their day-to-day work.

The event, hosted by Hertfordshire County Council at Robertson House, brought together colleagues from services including Public Health, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and Flood Risk Management to share ideas and hear from experts on the growing challenges facing the county.

The workshop focused on moving "from awareness to action", highlighting the links between climate change, biodiversity loss and the services local authorities provide to residents.

Speakers discussed the importance of embedding climate and nature considerations into everyday decision-making, with sessions covering topics such as climate adaptation, biodiversity, sustainable transport and behaviour change.

Attendees also took part in interactive workshops designed to identify practical ways council teams can reduce environmental impacts and build resilience to future climate risks.

The event forms part of Hertfordshire County Council's wider sustainability programme and supports the ambitions of the Hertfordshire Climate Change and Sustainability Partnership, which is working towards a county-wide net zero target by 2050 while improving resilience to increasingly frequent extreme weather events.

Councillors and officers said the event recognised that tackling climate change is no longer the responsibility of specialist environmental teams alone, but requires collaboration across all council services.

The council said bringing together staff from different departments allows ideas and expertise to be shared, helping to ensure climate and nature are considered alongside public health, emergency planning, highways and other frontline services.

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Hertfordshire has already experienced more frequent flooding, hotter summers and greater pressure on wildlife habitats, with the county council saying adaptation will be just as important as reducing carbon emissions in the years ahead