Northern Powerhouse leaders should write the energy agenda for the new government, then proudly step up and deliver.
That was the call from a huge conference pulling together industry and economic development chiefs on the 鈥渃rucial鈥 decarbonisation debate.
Roger Marsh OBE, chair of the 鈥楴P11鈥, opened Energy and Clean Growth in the Northern Powerhouse, launching a key report commissioned with KPMG, while underlining the great strides now being taken.
Highlighting a 拢2 billion economic opportunity, potential for 100,000 jobs and a stated target of halving carbon emissions by 2032 through a new Net Zero North partnership, the Leeds LEP head said: 鈥淚n two decades, the North, on an agenda like this, will be part of the contribution to national wealth rather than continuing to depend on it.
鈥淭he clean growth agenda is an opportunity for the North to play a leading role. We are proud, we wish to make a contribution. We have the capacity to deliver, we have the ambition and passion.鈥
Stating the North was now embracing collaboration having spent too much time 鈥渂eating each other up in the name of healthy competition鈥, Mr Marsh said: 鈥淥ur ambition it to play a major role in developing this, our towns, our cities and our coastal communities. With the right policies and business models the north can deliver as it has done before, and I am very proud to challenge government and say we are not doing something we have never done before. We are the part of the country that put the great in Great Britain.鈥
He was joined in referring back to the first industrial revolution by Lord Haskins, chair of Humber Local Enterprise Partnership, who also said more long-term thinking was required like the Victorians, with ports and railways still used today.
As host LEP, speaking at Hull鈥檚 Bonus Arena, he said: 鈥淭he NP11 should go to the new government and say 鈥榣isten, this is the way we in the North see it developing in 20 to 30 years and these are the guidelines you should be writing in your policy.鈥
Describing energy, and the decarbonisation debate as the 鈥渢hird issue鈥 going into the general election, he said how quick Net Zero can be achieved was a 鈥渃rucial, crucial question鈥 and remarked 鈥渉ow quickly it has come to the top of the national agenda鈥. 聽聽
He said there was strong consensus, and referred back to work around smoking and seatbelts, when it came to taking the public with policy makers.
鈥淭here is a huge opportunity to develop renewable resources and use our strong energy legacy, let鈥檚 all get to work,鈥 Lord Haskins added.
Piers Forster, a member of the 海角视频 Committee of Climate Change, stressed the urgency.聽
He said: 鈥淚t is not a committee down in Westminster that will get to Net Zero, it is communities and industries coming together just like today that will really get Net Zero done.
鈥淲e are at a real crossroads, a real crunch point. We either give up, have a managed retreat (from certain coastal areas), or get to Net Zero as fast as possible. It is not just Net Zero in our own country, it is internationally.
鈥淲e have to do an awful lot, and have to do an awful lot early, and it is not going to work without innovation. With good innovation we can go much quicker in our improvements.鈥
He flagged up Drax and C-Capture鈥檚 work on carbon capture, use and storage, with offshore wind and hydrogen also strongly backed. North West and North East projects were also later highlighted from Peel L&P and Tees Valley in a dedicated session, with a united front that all were required to achieve the North's ambition.
One of the NP11 Energy & Clean Growth Report lead authors, Duncan Michie, director of utilities at KPMG, said the North was well poised.
鈥淭he range of technologies and options you have in the Northern Powerhouse can really be pulled on. Technology is in your favour, the range, and the co-ordination, securing commitment to work together,
鈥淭his is your side of the bargain, this is what you can use with policy makers, and say 鈥榳e need this, this and this鈥. It is absolutely crucial.鈥
