Three major English cities to slash their CO2 emissions

Thursday 8 November 2007 14:00
Department for Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (National)

Joint declaration to tackle climate change

Three major Cities are set to develop tailored action plans to slash their CO2 emissions under a new scheme, Minister for Climate Change Joan Ruddock announced today.

Under the Low Carbon Cities Programme, the Carbon Trust and the Energy Saving Trust will work with Bristol, Leeds and Manchester to develop individual city-wide action plans to achieve low carbon economies which are both prosperous and sustainable.

New measures and initiatives will be introduced and could include renewable energy and trigeneration (creating power, heat and cooling from a single source) along with energy saving measures such as insulation and promoting cycling to work. Key public service bodies, businesses and community leaders in each of the cities will contribute to the strategy and its implementation.

The £250,000 of funding from Defra will also benefit the other members of the Core Cities Group - Birmingham, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield - by producing audits of current emissions and identifying cost effective carbon saving opportunities. The programme will establish a city-wide CO2 baseline, show emission totals and provide a detailed breakdown of where emissions come from. The data gathered will allow cities to forecast how changes to certain areas will most effectively cut emissions.

Leaders of the eight Core Cities, Communities and Local Government Secretary Hazel Blears and Joan Ruddock also today signed a pledge that identifies opportunities to reduce emissions and outlines specific actions that Government and Core Cities will undertake.

The Minister also announced a new programme from the UK Business Council for Sustainable Energy which is working with Shell and RWE npower, to assist UK cities in taking practical measures to tackle climate change.

This project is focused on the UK's major cities to develop a network of good practice in deploying technology and exploring emerging sustainable energy opportunities.

The Council will deliver a targeted regional programme in key UK cities to stimulate high level support for action on sustainable energy and build networks with the energy sector. The Council will also deliver a series of events to investigate how policy can be improved to enable the growth of new low-carbon technologies.

Ms Ruddock said:

"Our cities were once at the forefront of the industrial revolution. Now they have the opportunity to lead the way again and be the driving force behind our push to a low carbon economy. Creating targeted action plans will help them achieve this by setting a clear path for cutting emissions.

"The Low Carbon Cities Programme will illustrate that meeting the challenge of climate change and building prosperity in our cities can and should go hand in hand."

Communities and Local Government Secretary Hazel Blears said:

"Climate change is an issue which impacts on everyone, whether you live in the country or in an urban area, as this summer's floods showed. Everyone must play their part in helping to reduce their impact on the environment and cities have a vital role to play in tackling climate change issues. By working to reduce their carbon emissions, through improvements such as renewable energy, public transport, energy efficiency and waste and water management, cities can make a real difference.

"My Department has been working closely with the Core Cities and DEFRA on tackling climate change over the last year and signing the joint statement demonstrates our ongoing commitment to this work."

Tom Delay, Chief Executive, the Carbon Trust said:

"We are excited to be involved in this ambitious programme of support for the core cities which builds on the Government's Act on CO2 campaign and pleased that Defra recognises the benefits to be gained from collaboration across public sector bodies. We currently work with a third of all local authorities helping them to cut carbon, and have collaborated with all the key public sector bodies within Bristol, Leeds and Manchester. This new programme is the next crucial step in encouraging collaboration and harnessing good practice to ensure coherent city wide strategies"

Eddie Hyams, Chairman of the Energy Saving Trust, said:

"Our research tells us that inspiring citizens as members of their local community will give them more power to act. In communities, people can better believe in the impact of their actions, they are big fish in a small pond, not powerless members of the whole world.

"The public discussion on climate change has evolved at an unprecedented rate over the past year. We need to build on this momentum and make it easier for people to adopt low carbon lifestyles. This initiative will provide us with insight into how we can work with cities all over the UK. This will be central to our long-term thinking. Only then can we bring about real change."

Notes to editors:

1) Joan Ruddock, Minister for Climate Change spoke at the Core Cities Summit in Nottingham today, 8th November. To see her speech in full: http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/ministers/speeches/default.asp

2) The Core Cities Group is a strong cross-city and cross-party alliance with more than 10 years track record of collaboration on economic development and related issues (http://www.corecities.com). It includes: Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield. These cities are major centres of international competitiveness, key to regional and national economic growth, forming the economic and urban cores of their surrounding areas - the city regions. The Core Cities are major wealth producers. Some city region areas produce 50% and more of their entire region's economic output, with the Core Cities providing the driving force. Their performance is critical to regional and national competitiveness.

3) Cities consume 75% of the world's energy and produce 80% of its greenhouse gas emissions. Cities contribute to the causes of climate change, but they can also provide solutions. Climate change is already having considerable social and economic impacts for our major cities, which need to be managed sustainably. The Core Cities have large and dense populations, with high degrees of deprivation. They are located in areas that are adjacent to major rivers, flood plains or the sea and these populations are especially vulnerable to climate change impacts.

The Core Cities' city regions are home to more than 16 million people. Changing the behaviours of these large populations will make a major contribution. Our city region areas are responsible for around 30% of England's carbon emissions - some 140 million tonnes of carbon annually. But because of high-density living and income levels, average domestic carbon emissions per person in the Core Cities are 20% less than the average for England. By, for example, increasing local renewable energy supplies and improving public transport, addressing the energy efficiency of buildings and improving waste and water management, the Core Cities can help greatly to reduce England's overall impact on the environment. This means that, where most appropriate, action to tackle climate change needs to prioritise the Core Cities and surrounding areas.

4) During the Core Cities Conference in Nottingham, 7-8 November, key note addresses will be given by the following ministers:

The Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

John Healey MP, Minister of State for Communities and Local Government

Lord Digby Jones, Minister of State for Trade and Investment

Sir David King, the Government's Chief Scientific Advisor

Joan Ruddock MP, Minister for Climate Change for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

5) During the Core Cities Conference in Nottingham, 7-8 November, the leaders of the eight core cities and DEFRA will jointly sign an agreement committing our cities to build on the Nottingham Declaration and to accelerate the reduction of CO2 emissions.

6) The pledge for 'A Prosperous and Sustainable Future' outlines the following commitment:

1. Managing resources

Core Cities will

1.1 Achieve or exceed targets for reducing CO2 emissions, improving air, water and land quality and reducing resource use in line with the new Climate Change Bill and relevant legislation and policy. We will collaborate on future target setting, benchmarking and other initiatives.

1.2 Show leadership by:

* promoting culture change for communities;

* climate-conscious procurement and project approval methods ;

* engaging public sector agencies, Non Governmental Organisations; employers, and communities in making specific carbon reduction commitments.

1.3 Engage in the development and implementation of new local government indicators and the new Comprehensive Area Assessment, reflecting the leadership role of cities in tackling climate change.

1.4 With government support, evaluate the need for climate change agencies for Core Cities to:

* lead multi-agency development of integrated strategies for energy, waste, carbon and water use;

* work across administrative boundaries to reduce waste and carbon emissions in cost effective and innovative ways.

1.5 Reduce energy demand and increase renewable energy generation across our own estates, engaging with public sector partners.

1.6 Report back on progress at future Core Cities' Summits.

Government will

1.7 Provide a clear, credible, long-term framework for the UK to achieve its goals of reducing CO2 emissions and becoming a leading low carbon economy, through its Climate Change Bill.

1.8 Work to align strategy, policy and targets for climate change with those for: economic development; transport; housing; spatial planning; and business sector growth forecasts.

1.9 Deliver a programme via the Carbon Trust and Energy Saving Trust to:

* Pilot a new strategic approach towards carbon management at city level across the Core Cities.

* Engage all Core Cities in piloting the new city-wide performance management framework, initially in 2 cities, developing a toolkit of products and support services available to all.

* Support the Core Cities in ensuring that public and private sector partners minimise carbon impacts and maximise renewable energy generation.

* Advise Core Cities on the most cost effective opportunities and best mechanisms to do this, including waste and wastewater treatment.

1.10 Increase the total Salix fund size and consider increasing the cap on loan size to provide the scale needed by Core Cities and other large authorities.

1.11 The Government will launch a zero waste places initiative in with the aim of inviting a number of places to become exemplars of good environmental practice on all waste.

1.12 Ensure that national and regional government agencies understand and reflect the important role of Core Cities in their climate change policies, programmes and where appropriate, funding allocations.

2. Securing prosperity

Core Cities will

2.1 Build on the Stern Review and the Government's response to it, to develop economic impact models to inform future decisions in medium and long term policy and planning frameworks.

2.2 Work with government to consider climate change implications in working to reduce regional economic disparity.

2.3 Where appropriate, and possible, use local financing powers to support sustainable business growth and ensure that funded projects conform to climate change goals.

2.4 Use available planning, licensing and transport powers to reduce fossil fuel use by improving public transport, reducing the need to travel, tackling congestion and providing alternatives to private car usage

2.5 Work with government to support the environmental technology sector and promote the development and uptake of climate-conscious products and services.

2.6 Support government in assessing and bridging the skills and capacity gap for tackling climate change, sharing learning and benchmarking.

2.7 Engage with government on:

* flexible market and licensing proposals for low-carbon electricity supply;

* delivery of world class low carbon learning environments for children of all ages;

* identifying and negotiating changes to policies and programmes where they appear to conflict with climate change goals;

* consider how current and future local authority powers can be used to adopt 'polluter pays' variable charging and minimum emission standards for the range of licenses and permits they issue.

Government will

2.8 Assist the Core Cities in tackling the challenge of moving to a low carbon, low waste economy through taking forward the recommendations of the Review of Sub National Economic Development and Regeneration to:

* improve the flexibilities and incentives for local authorities to work with business to identify opportunities for growth, and to take the necessary steps to make their areas more attractive to business investment;

* achieve greater flexibility and local control over relevant funding streams.

2.9 Through the Environmental Transformation Fund, (and working closely with the Technology Strategy Board and the new Energy Technologies Institute), build on existing programmes such as Science City and develop new initiatives, which support the commercialisation of innovative solutions and technologies these bodies help to develop.

2.10 Support continued investment in technology and knowledge capital programmes such as the Carbon Trust's scheme to accelerate the development of cost-effective solar photovoltaic cells, announced October 2007.

3. Sustainable placemaking

Core Cities will

3.1 Work with Government and the new Homes and Communities Agency to:

* support housing growth and low-carbon affordable housing within high-quality, accessible mixed communities; and

* reduce energy demand and improve the climate resilience of existing housing stock.

3.2 Work with Government and use our own planning and fiscal powers to:

* concentrate delivery of commercial and residential development in areas with flood resilience, low carbon transport and access to low carbon energy;

* bring private sector development into line with climate change targets; and

* communicate policy, process and legislative barriers to achieving these.

3.3 Inform placemaking by:

* researching and appraising the flood, water management, critical infrastructure and other vulnerabilities of our urban environments and communities;

* plan for adaptation as a core element of spatial planning and policy development; and

* champion methods to improve energy management in the community e.g. through exploring Energy Service Companies.

Government will

3.4 Clearly identify the role of the Core Cities in leading placeshaping and acting as an exemplar in their areas to reduce carbon emissions (from housing, local business, transport, public sector and community organisations) and adapting to climate change via their service delivery and community leadership role.

3.5 Work with the Core Cities and Government Offices to ensure joint accountability between national, regional and local partners within relevant Local Strategic Partnerships and Multi Area Agreements, including CO2 reduction.

3.6 Implement the Planning White paper commitment to legislate on the role of local planning authorities in tackling climate change, remaining sensitive to the role and needs of our major cities in relation to climate change.

3.7 Ensure that spatial, planning and construction measures and programmes:

* reflect the advantages of concentrating commercial and residential development in areas with good climate change assets ( e.g. flood resilience, low carbon transport infrastructure and energy sources);

* highlight the importance of avoiding the depletion of natural climate change assets (e.g. carbon sinks, shade trees, outdoor green space, gardens).

3.8 Support Core Cities in establishing transparent and robust local accountability for water and energy management.

3.9 Increase government funding for flood and coastal erosion risk management to £800 million in 2010-11 and take into account information from the independent lessons learned inquiry into the summer 2007 floods, chaired by Sir Michael Pitt, when determining the final allocation.

Public enquiries 08459 335577;

Press notices are available on our website http://www.defra.gov.uk

Defra's aim is sustainable development

Yarrow

speaking to a few Xs from the Bristol Permaculture Group, who said the steering group for Transition bristol was quite exclusive in its' membership and vision. they hoped that with persuasion the 'dolies', as minimum-wagers we heard referred to, could be given more space to maneuver and ground to pull.

I know the government wants to build 20K new houses per year every year from now on in Yorkshire, and I imagine 50% of that will be in the Leeds/Bradford area ... so difficult to see how Leeds will be able to reduce CO2 emissions with that going on.

AnneandMike

This is the same government that wants another runway at Heathrow and every other bl**dy airport in the country, isn't it.

Mind you, without these the economy will suffer badly (after all, those flights to Malaga, city breaks and skiing weekends are the only things that keep the country going!!!!!) Mad

Green Man

I agree AnneandMike, also the strict CO2 regulations will close down any last fragment of manufacturing in these cities and resort to the same products being made and shipped in from China with no pollution controls. It angers me that we think we are living cleaner lives because the factory chimneys no longer smoke over our cities, but they do so even more so in Chinese cities as our demand for products are in fact higher now then ever before. We (The nation) are literally 'dirty hypocrites'. Embarassed

Behemoth

orangepippin wrote:

I'm sure a few postcodes could be changed. York or Wakefield for instance.

Yarrow

Can't help think we might actually have to change some things

I think instead of focussing on slashing CO2 emissions, which feels rather like treating the symptom instead of the cause, these cities should be concentrating on a broader range of sustainable development policies. That means looking at the overall environmental footprint of the city, and ways in which it can be reduced. All future development plans - including the proposals for 20K new houses per year in Yorkshire - should be tested against this sustainable development plan. It may be that some desirable objectives, such as building more houses or building more roads, simply can't go ahead if they would breach sustainable development limits ... or maybe they can go ahead, but in modified form. The bottom line is that we can't carry on with unsustainable and uncontrolled development - the planet is telling us the limits have been reached.

Green Man

orangepippin wrote:

sustainable development .

I don't believe people have realised the planet can't develop any more. Britain can't develop sustainably, Africa can't develop sustainably, China and India can't develop sustainably without causing further damage to our planet. Crying or Very sad

thos

http://www.rtbf.be/info/belganews/BELGANEWS20739585_4
The steelworks in Liège is in trouble (Liège is like Sheffield used to be).
The Wallone government wants ArcelorMittal to re-open the foundries, but the company will only reopen them if the Wallone government pays the €260m CO2 quota bill.

If the steel is not produced in Belgium, it will be produced in China, so the CO2 will be emitted anyway, but Wallonie can claim to have reduced its emissions.

Cho-ku-ri wrote:

I think further development IS possible provided it is done in a truely sustainable way. The problem in the UK at least is that government environmental and housing policies are not aligned.

Yarrow

Agreed Orangepippin, sustainable development is possible, but only if 'development' means something other than what it does to planning organisations.
To quote Billy Bragg, 'just because you're going forward doesn't mean i'm going backwards'.

Green Man

Wouldn't that be Sustainable Un-development, which as Downsizers we are all aware has to be good?

Yarrow

Not necessarily, although this MayDay poster has some good ideas...

Cho-ku-ri wrote:

Wouldn't that be Sustainable Un-development, which as Downsizers we are all aware has to be good?

What a great concept! Nice one.

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