Council leaders from our region have written to the Secretary of State for Net Zero and Energy Security and the Secretary of State for Transport to highlight net zero challenges and opportunities.
The letter, signed by a group of elected members representing climate change, transport and logistics issues in our region, sets out the findings from the recent East of England Net Zero Conference.
Collaboration was the golden thread that ran through the day’s proceedings. The partnership and consensus across the public and private sectors, political parties and across geographical boundaries was palpable. It was clear to see that levels of commitment and momentum are running high for the East of England.
Please click here to watch a short video produced at the conference.
The following points were raised in the letter:
- Councils, working with partners across the public and private sector could do so much more if the Government could commit to a simplified, less competitive approach towards funding allocations for net zero activity.
- A clear, long-term strategic approach and funding regime needs to be developed to secure the desperately needed green jobs of our economy.
- Consistency and clarity on net zero targets and policy. Businesses, local authorities and other partners need certainty to plan for and fund their climate priority activities.
- It is unfair that East of England residents should experience adverse impacts from our region’s huge success in generating offshore wind power for the UK. The National Grid should re-visit plans for the ‘Norwich to Tilbury’ infrastructure project and explore the potential for an offshore connection rather than onshore pylons.
- A systematic, long-term strategy regarding renewable energy sources and their intended application is required to understand the associated infrastructure requirements and economic potential for the East of England.
- Sufficient and stable funding for all local authorities in the region to improve bus services and ensure public transport provides a more realistic alternative to the private car in a region without major metropolitan centres and with large rural areas.
Continued government support toward public electric vehicle charging infrastructure to ensure all areas are catered for and to leverage ongoing private investment to help meet the nearly 50,000 new public charge points needed in the East of England by 2035.
To read the letter in full, click here.