London Climate Action Week: What Does Climate Action Look Like in South Kensington?

Every year, London Climate Action Week brings together people, communities and organisations from across the capital to share ideas and explore solutions for a more sustainable future.

In South Kensington, that spirit of collaboration continues long after the week ends. Through the South Ken ZEN+ programme, museums, parks and cultural institutions are working year‑round to cut emissions, boost biodiversity and share practical knowledge across the neighbourhood.

Across the Quarter, climate action takes many different forms. Some organisations are improving the energy performance of historic buildings, while others are changing the way food is sourced and served or finding new approaches to sustainable exhibition design. Collectively, these efforts demonstrate how practical changes can deliver measurable environmental benefits.

Recent examples include:

• Royal College of Music — At its historic Blomfield Building, the RCM has introduced voltage optimisation, improving efficiency and cutting energy use and carbon emissions, all without changing daily operations.
• Imperial College London — Imperial is making low-carbon choices the easy choice. Since 2022, it has reshaped its catering offer to prioritise plant-based options. In 2024, the university removed beef from all menus ahead of schedule, cutting emissions by 15% in two years. Simple shifts, like making vegan options the default and serving vegan croissants as ‘plain’, are helping change habits without compromising on taste.
• the Design Museum — By sharing practical guidance on sustainable exhibition design, the Museum is helping cultural organisations across the UK reduce their environmental impact.
• Through the publication of practical guidance on sustainable exhibition design, the Museum is supporting cultural organisations across the UK in reducing the environmental impact of exhibitions and displays.
• Natural History Museum – NHM is leading climate and biodiversity action through pioneering research, such as the Nature Discovery Garden, which creates habitats for wildlife in the heart of London, and Fixing Our Broken Planet, a gallery exploring solutions to environmental challenges.
• Science Museum — The Museum is reducing travel emissions through a sustainable travel policy that prioritises public transport, embeds emissions tracking into booking systems, and supports low-carbon commuting through flexible working and cycle-to-work schemes.
• South Ken Culture Quarter — New recycled planters along Exhibition Road are enhancing urban biodiversity with pollinator-friendly planting. We were also instrumental in the recent re-planting a young plane tree on Exhibition Road. These are small but visible steps towards a greener, more nature-positive streetscape.

Alongside these individual projects, we know that by collaborating, we can go further and faster. Through our collective South Ken ZEN+ Programme, we have rolled out Carbon Literacy training across multiple institutions, helping to build climate knowledge and encourage action throughout the Quarter.   

We are also working together to create useful resources that anyone can use at whatever point they are on their sustainability journey. One example is the recently published South Ken ZEN+ Greenwashing Guide, which helps purchasers spot misleading environmental claims and make more informed decisions about what they buy. 

These projects offer just a glimpse of the sustainability work that's happening all across South Kensington. Together, our world‑leading cultural and educational organisations are showing that it’s possible to inspire millions of visitors while taking meaningful steps toward a more sustainable future.This shared commitment is already being recognised: in 2026, South Ken ZEN+ was Highly Commended in the Museums + Heritage Awards for Partnership of the Year — a testament to what collaboration can achieve.

To learn more about these initiatives and case studies, visit the South Ken ZEN+ website and sign up to our monthly newsletter.