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Energy and Environment

We want to leave our environment in a better state than we found it, not just locally, but nationally and internationally.

burbo bank extension wind farm

Zero carbon emissions by 2040

The challenge of becoming a zero-carbon city region by 2040 is not an easy one. It involves substantial changes to how we generate and consume energy, and to our infrastructure and transport networks. The benefits are far reaching for everyone who lives and works in the city region and for generations to come.

We are already doing a huge amount to make this a reality.

We have published our Five Year Climate Action Plan, which sets actions for the Combined Authority to complete that contribute towards the decarbonisation needed in the Liverpool City Region to reach net zero carbon by 2040 or sooner, as well as delivering multiple co-benefits.

Read our Five Year Climate Action Plan

What we're doing towards net zero

Greener homes

Just one of the ways we are helping to achieve this is by working with our partners to improve energy efficiency in homes across the city region. We will work to ensure that all new buildings are zero-carbon enabled from the very beginning.

Green transport

Transport has a huge impact on our environment. That’s why we are working with bus operators and other partners to provide cleaner public transport. Already, seven out of 10 buses in the city are low emission, running on cleaner fuels like electricity, naturally occurring biomethane gas, or a mix of the two. We know there is a lot more to do, so we’re working to improve facilities to encourage cycling and walking, especially for shorter journeys, and to make our rail services the best they can be, including the £460 million investment in new, state-of-the-art Merseyrail trains.

Renewable energy

We are also well on our way to becoming the UK’s renewable energy coast, with one of the largest concentrations of off-shore wind turbines in the world in Liverpool Bay. And we are working in partnership with government and industry to develop the use of other cleaner fuels, like hydrogen power. Looking to the longer-term, we have established the Mersey Tidal Commission to look into ways of harnessing the power of the River Mersey as a source of clean, renewable, predictable energy for generations to come.

Climate Partnership

At the 2019 Year of the Environment Summit, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram announced the creation of a Climate Partnership to support the Liverpool City Region in reaching our goal of Net Zero Carbon by 2040 or sooner. The Partnership is made up of a diverse range of stakeholders from across the city region, with representatives from public, private & third sector organisations, as well as environmental groups and young people. Whilst the Partnership has no statutory authority, it is able to advise the Combined Authority on its climate agenda as a ‘critical friend’. The Partnership’s first meeting took place in May 2020, and subsequently meets once a month. It has had crucial input into the development of our two strategy documents, the Year One Climate Action Plan & Pathway to Net Zero, as well as contributing to the hugely successful Community Environment Fund project.

North West Net Zero Hub

North West Net Zero Hub is a regional programme to promote investment in energy projects. It works with public sector organisations to improve the business case for their energy schemes.

The Hub supports communities to take action and participate in the climate agenda. It can help direct local businesses to available funding for clean energy solutions.

Air quality

In November 2018, we established a new Air Quality Task Force. Made up of elected representatives from the city region’s six local authorities, as well as representatives from organisations across the city region, the Air Quality Task Force is working to raise awareness of the issue of air quality and make recommendations on how to tackle it.

The work of the task force will also help to deliver Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram’s broader environmental pledge to make the Liverpool City Region the greenest in the UK.

Solar Together

Solar Together Liverpool City Region is a new scheme offering high-quality solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, and battery storage.

Solar panels will help residents save on energy bills and be less reliant on energy suppliers, and even have the potential to earn money by exporting unused solar power generated to the grid.

Solar Together is a group-buying scheme which brings households together to get high-quality solar panels at a competitive price, supporting and informing those participating in the scheme at each stage.

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