An Investigation and Policy Recommendation on how the UK National Government and Local Authorities will transition to Net-Zero

Authored by: Euan TaylorCharlie AlveyNeha ChackoAlice HickmanAmber KennyZara Saleem.

Published 5 months(s) ago.

Abstract:

Despite the UK’s commitment to the Net Zero innovation Portfolio through £100 million investment towards energy storage and flexibility innovation, the recent renege on the 2035 net-zero targets triggers questions about the UK’s ability to achieve the green energy goals and its reputation as a global leader on climate change. By observing policies and strategies implemented by both local and national governments in West Yorkshire we assess the overall success of environmental policy in the UK and through observing its failings, analyse how future efforts could benefit the UK’s goal of carbon neutrality. At the national level, the lack of infrastructure, as evidenced by UK business data, shows what is required for the transition to ‘all-electric’ transportation. The lack of proper frameworks, as explained by primary research and questionnaires aimed at local councils, shows the need for a more granular approach to targeting net-zero objectives. To overcome impediments to achieving neutrality, our report aims to address these climate challenges by examining whether local councils and communities have enough autonomy to take control of their own net-zero goals. In Leeds alone, the City Council (LCC) has already seen success in tackling air pollution and increasing electric vehicles, yet, more can be done to improve local air quality as Leeds remains the largest city in Western Europe without a tube/tram system. Consequently, our report recommends increasing investment in bus infrastructure to make it more frequent, interconnected, and reliable to reduce emissions and reliance on cars and from this, get closer to achieving net-zero targets through devolved strategies at local levels.

Read the full report here.