As the threat of the climate emergency grows ever more urgent, local authorities across the UK face the formidable task of transitioning to a net zero future. While their ambition is clear, with many having declared a net zero target date of 2030, the path to achieving this goal is complex and challenging. Progress has been slow so far due to a multitude of issues, many beyond the immediate control of local authorities. So, with only six years now remaining until 2030, tangible action needs to happen now for local authorities to meet their net zero targets.
The Urgency of Net Zero for Local Authorities
The scientific consensus is unequivocal: we must act now to avert the worst impacts of climate change. The UK has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and local authorities must play a pivotal role in delivering on this ambitious target. Many authorities have recognised this crucial role and set more ambitious targets as soon as 2030.
However, every year that passes without significant action deepens the challenge and exacerbates the consequences of business as usual. This is why we believe it is critical for local authorities to scale up their net zero efforts and make tangible progress towards their emission reduction goals.
Achieving Net Zero – the Challenges Facing Local Authorities
Even though many leading councils have formed dedicated Net Zero teams, the sheer scope of challenges they face – resourcing, identifying priorities, finding the right skills, developing business cases, securing additional finance, understanding what the market can offer, developing a delivery plan, finding partners, navigating procurement hurdles, and launching pilot projects – has slowed their progress.
Many are still in the strategy or pilot phase when they would much rather be scaling up net zero initiatives that are proven to work.
The Power of Net Zero Partnerships for Local Authorities
A Net Zero Partnership can address these challenges head-on, providing Local Authorities with the support they need to overcome obstacles and accelerate their net zero journey, offering:
Expertise: Net Zero Partnerships bring together teams of specialists with deep knowledge and experience in net zero strategy, implementation, and financing.
Scalability: By leveraging the expertise of partners, local authorities can effectively scale up their net zero efforts and make a much more significant impact.
Resource optimisation: Net Zero Partnerships help local authorities maximise the use of their resources, ensuring that every pound invested contributes to tangible net zero outcomes.
Streamlined processes: Net Zero Partnerships streamline procurement and administrative processes, freeing up valuable time and resources for net zero implementation.
Coordination and alignment: Net Zero Partnerships foster collaboration and alignment across departments and stakeholders, ensuring a cohesive approach to net zero.
City Science: Your Net Zero Partner
City Science was purpose-built to help local authorities decarbonise and our Net Zero Partnerships offer a transformative solution that provides the necessary tools, support and funding guidance to help you navigate the complexities involved and accelerate progress.
Our team, assembled over the past eight years, boasts specialists in Net Zero Energy, Transport, Carbon Accounting, Retrofit, Offsets, Local Area Energy Plans, District Heat, Finance, Circular Economy, and other relevant disciplines.
But more than this, we’ve developed expertise in the delivery of both the strategies and evidence necessary to know what to do, but also the industry partnerships, understanding and skills to turn strategies into action.
In a Net Zero Partnership, City Science acts as an extension of your local authority teams, sharing their motivations and reservations, and will look holistically at transport, energy, infrastructure and industry to create and execute a roadmap towards net zero. We provide the tools, resources, and expertise to create a lasting legacy of environmental responsibility and community well-being, beyond your net zero target date.
How Does a Net Zero Partnership Work?
A Net Zero Partnership will look different for each authority – some may already have net zero teams that want the support of a specialist external partner, and others may not have much internal resource, and might instead look to outsource areas of net zero delivery.
Typically, a Net Zero Partnership package will include:
A FREE Net Zero Progress Assessment: providing you with a clear picture of your current net zero progress and tailored recommendations to accelerate your journey.
Multi-Year Action Plan: enabling you to embark on a well-defined roadmap with a tailored action plan that maximises the impact of your net zero initiatives.
Accurate Cost Forecasts: providing you with realistic cost projections for various net zero activities to help you make informed decisions.
Prioritised Activity Menu: identifying and prioritising the most impactful actions, including essential strategies, quick-win updates, and no-/low-regret delivery options.
Tailored Support Package: providing a customised support package that aligns with your specific needs, whether you have an existing team or require additional expertise.
Proactive Funding Sourcing: leveraging our expertise to identify and secure funding opportunities that maximise your progress towards delivering net zero for your local authority.
Getting Started with a Net Zero Partnership
Getting started is easy:
The first stage is a simple Net Zero Progress Assessment. Our team offer this for free. It takes about an hour of your time, and given our extensive bank of local authority clients, we’re then able to benchmark your progress against others.
From here, we’ll provide you with a menu of activities to progress including essential strategies, quick-win updates, and a range of no-/low-regret delivery options to start maximising impact.
We can then tailor a package of support that meets your exact needs – if you have a team we can work with them, if you don’t have a team, we can provide support until you do.
We’ll also work continuously with you to find funding, to make sure you’re maximising all the opportunities that are out there.
Take action now to accelerate progress in 2024
We want to help ambitious local authorities make 2024 the year of climate action with our Net Zero Partnerships programme.
Time is running out to make the changes required to meet net zero targets, and delivery must be scaled up as a matter of urgency. We invite local authorities that want to see action and progress happen quickly to get in touch, so we can work together to achieve your net zero targets.
Contact us now to arrange a FREE Net Zero Progress Assessment.