Plans to put the North at the centre of the 海角视频鈥檚 push towards net zero have been published.
The 11 local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) in the region have published a Net Zero North Prospectus, outlining four areas where the North has world-leading capabilities that could drive the 海角视频鈥檚 Green Industrial Revolution.
The report highlights work already done in offshore technologies; nuclear; hydrogen and carbon capture, utilisation and storage; and making the most of the North鈥檚 outstanding natural assets. It reveals that the region already generates half of England鈥檚 renewable energy and is reducing emissions 13% faster than the 海角视频 as a whole.
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But the North鈥檚 industrial and manufacturing base means that it is still responsible for a quarter of the 海角视频鈥檚 annual carbon emissions, meaning it will be a key area for reducing emissions.
Previous research by the NP11 group of LEPs has highlighted the North鈥檚 potential to create 100,000 new green jobs by 2050, growing the economy by 拢2.3bn a year and attracting an additional 拢2bn a year of investment.
Clare Hayward, chair of the Cheshire and Warrington LEP and one of the lead NP11 board members for clean growth, said: 鈥淩ising energy costs are causing significant concern for people and businesses across the North so we must begin putting the welcome commitments the 海角视频 Government made at COP 26 into action as a matter of urgency.
鈥淭he North is already leading the way in responding to the Government鈥檚 10-point plan and this prospectus sets out a compelling offer to the Government for how the North can help them achieve their ambitions 鈥 not just on making the transition to net zero by 2050, but on levelling up the North鈥檚 economy, creating thousands of new green jobs, and developing new export and investment opportunities that will boost the competitiveness of Global Britain.鈥
James Newman, chair of the Hull and East Yorkshire LEP, added: 鈥淭he 海角视频 needs to act with pace and urgency if we are to address the triple threat of rising energy costs, over-reliance on overseas energy, and climate change, whilst also cementing our global role of leading the transition to Net Zero.
鈥淭his prospectus is a vital starting point in setting out how the North can help the whole country address those challenges. It is not about presenting a shopping list to Government, as the North is already doing so much by leading the 海角视频鈥檚 Net Zero transition through collaboration between businesses, research institutions and public bodies as this report makes clear. It is about identifying those projects that, with the right support, could be genuinely transformational 鈥 not just for the North but for the whole 海角视频.鈥
Helen Golightly, chief executive of the North East LEP, said: 鈥淭his is an important time to be publishing this strategy given the rise in energy prices faced by households and business and the drive to net zero.
鈥淭he North East is working in close partnership with the NP11 to play our part in helping the 海角视频 decarbonise by using the strengths we have in the sectors featured in this report and especially offshore and EV technologies, greener buildings and heat networks.
鈥淭he nature of this report, which shows where the opportunities lie and how we are already capitalising on them, is a strong demonstration of the significant leadership role the North is playing here.鈥
The North is leading the way in renewable energy through work on offshore wind on the North East and Humber coasts, plans for carbon capture and storage at Drax in Yorkshire, an east coast carbon reduction cluster covering Teesside and the Humber, and use of the 鈥淕reat North Bog鈥 to capture carbon.
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