Manchester City Council has been chosen as one of nine pioneering authorities to receive support from the government in tackling climate change.

Communities Secretary John Denham announced on Thursday January 28 that Manchester would work with the government over the next year to pioneer and test new local carbon frameworks, along with cities such as Bristol, Leeds, Oxford, Nottingham and Plymouth.

This will mean the City Council will report to the government, explaining what it plans to do to slash carbon emissions, in exchange for which the authority will be able to receive extra support from the government in order to achieve this goal.

The City Council has been chosen for the role following last month's launch of a far-reaching plan to reduce the city's carbon emissions by 41 per cent over the next decade. This target, based on 2005 figures, is in line with the government's most ambitious objectives.

The plan, entitled Manchester: A Certain Future - Our Collective Action On Climate Change was coordinated by the City Council but written by nearly 100 organisations from Manchester Friends Of The Earth to Bruntwood and the Co-op.

The plan, launched by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, outlined actions such as making improvements to at least 100,000 homes in Manchester and educating all residents and employees about climate change. It also outlined plans such as producing energy using renewable sources such as biomass, constructing energy efficient buildings, helping create around 15,000 jobs in the growing green economy, and improving cycle ways, encouraging people to walk, increasing the use of public transport.

Councillor Richard Cowell, Manchester City Council's Executive Member for the Environment, said: "We are delighted to have been chosen by the government as one of a handful of authorities around the country which are already ahead of the game when it comes to tackling climate change, and which will be able to receive additional support from the government.

"Manchester led the industrial revolution and we now intend to play a lead role in tackling the challenges which climate change presents."

Launching the project, John Denham said: "Councils are already making huge advances on this agenda. We want all local authorities to take the lead on reducing emissions in their area.

"The nine authorities being named today are ready to help Government identify the support needed for all local authorities to follow the lead of the best, make sure unnecessary barriers to action are swept away, and identify the tools needed for local authorities to do the job.

"There are obvious benefits for local people both financially and in terms of quality of life and it is crucial that local authorities maximise these and involve local people every step of the way."