Liverpool City Council (LCC) has appointed Eunomia, the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) and independent experts Sarah Toy and Jess Read to develop a roadmap for the city to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

Liverpool City joined 277 local authorities in declaring a climate emergency in 2019 and the city has already reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by an amount equivalent to 840,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide since 2005. The city’s net zero ambitions are also clear in policies such as its air quality plan, which encourages active travel and introduces hydrogen buses. The city energy plans, delivered working with city region partners, include developing Europe’s largest tidal power project, and tripling the energy generated by offshore wind.

Continuing its progress towards decarbonisation, LCC commissioned Eunomia and its partners to develop a new Low Carbon Route Map to Zero for the city. The analysis will examine the technical feasibility of interventions that can eliminate emissions from all sources, including biodiversity, housing, transport, energy, business, industry, natural resources, and waste. It will also examine how local resilience can be developed, including building a green economy that will enable the city to recover more quickly from COVID-19.

The roadmap will integrate the overarching strategy set by LCC and will offer a variety of options for reaching the net zero goal. The project will include extensive stakeholder engagement to identify practical actions to influence and accelerate decarbonisation. The focus is on clear implementable actions that can be taken by the council and other members of civic society.

Cllr Laura Robertson-Collins, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment & Sustainability at LCC says: “Liverpool City Council committed to reaching net zero carbon by 2030 in our “Declaration on Climate Emergency” in July 2019.

“We are very pleased to be working with Eunomia on this and this will help ensure expert support for our work to reach this very demanding and essential target.

“Our commitment to carbon reduction is a crucial part of the council’s work supporting our natural environment and improving bio-diversity, improving air quality and active transport, and making Liverpool’s buildings more energy efficient.”

Alex Massie, Climate and Ecological Emergency lead at Eunomia, who is directing the project, said: “Liverpool City Council has already supported significant decarbonisation in the city over recent years, but after the ‘easy wins’ are tackled it becomes more difficult to find the necessary big carbon savings to reach net zero. We’re looking forward to supporting them in developing a plan that identifies further areas for practical action so the city reach the net zero goal by 2030.”

“At a time of economic challenge due to COVID-19, net zero action provides an opportunity to reshape and regrow the local economy. There are also opportunities to build upon the increased interconnectedness of local communities to take forward actions. We will be working with the council to make the most of these opportunities, ensuring they are at the heart of the plan.”

LCC joins a growing list of local authorities and organisations that Eunomia is helping plan their transition to net zero. This includes Bristol City Council, London Borough of Redbridge, and the Environment Agency.

Picture courtesy of Liverpool City Council.