Combined Authority Sets Ambitious Targets to Tackle Climate Emergency

Having declared a Climate Emergency, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority today set out ambitious targets for tackling climate change and will develop a full Climate Action Plan by December 2019.

Amongst the first targets for the Liverpool City Region are plans:

• To deliver Europe’s largest tidal power project by 2030
• To triple the volume of energy generated by offshore wind in Liverpool Bay by 2032
• To replace all methane with hydrogen from the city region’s gas grid by 2035
• To deliver a network of at least eight zero-carbon refuelling stations (hydrogen and electric charging) across the city region by 2025
• To meet the city region’s hydrogen demand from transport, industry and heat from clean hydrogen produced within the city region from 2023

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:

“We declared a Climate Emergency because we recognise the need for urgent action to tackle the severe consequences of climate change.

“As a city region we were the first in the country to adopt a target to be Zero Carbon by 2040, ten years earlier than the national target; we have launched a £10m Green Investment Fund; we are pioneering the use of hydrogen for transport; and we already have one of the biggest wind farm clusters in Europe in Liverpool Bay.

“But what makes us unique is our Mersey Tidal Power project, which has the potential to be truly transformative, generating enough power for up to a million homes and creating thousands of local jobs.  And devolution means that we can make sure that local people develop the skills they need to flourish in this growing industry.

“Climate change is the biggest threat we face globally and we will do everything in our power to make a difference at a local level.”

Councillor Gillian Wood, Deputy Portfolio Holder for Low Carbon and Renewable Energy, said: “As a city region we are already one of the leading areas in the country for the low carbon sector, which will only become more important as we decarbonise our economy.  We understand the urgency of the climate change threat which is why we are determined to continue to lead on developing alternative, green, renewable energy sources.”

The Combined Authority is already tackling climate change in a variety of ways, including:

• A zero carbon target of 2040
• The Mersey Tidal Commission
• A £10m Green Investment Fund
• £460m investment in new, state-of-the-art trains for Merseyrail network – improving and futureproofing green public transport
• The cleanest bus fleet outside of London – with 7 out of 10 vehicles already low emission and 25 zero emission hydrogen buses arriving next year
• Establishment of a Clean Air Taskforce
• A “Brownfield First” approach to development
• Investment into the first phase of a £16 million 600km cycling and walking network.