‘Local leaders are the key’, Net Zero tsar told at UK100 local authority network roundtable

Net Zero Review lead, Chris Skidmore MP, took evidence from local leaders across the UK on Monday [7 November] as world leaders gathered in Sharm el Sheikh for COP27.

At a roundtable event in County Hall, London, the former BEIS Minister, appointed by former Prime Minister Liz Truss to review the UK’s approach to Net Zero, met with local authority leaders from the UK100 network.

UK100 is the UK’s only network of local authorities committed to ambitious climate and clean air action.

Leaders, chief executives and cabinet members from Bristol, Cornwall, Herefordshire, Leicester, Manchester, Wiltshire and many others joined Chris Skidmore and UK100 Chief Executive Polly Billington to discuss how the Government can better work with local authorities to deliver on Net Zero.

The evidence session was the first cross-party local authority roundtable held by Chris Skidmore as part of the independent Net Zero Review due to conclude in December.

The review has taken written and oral evidence from over 2,000 organisations and individuals since it launched in September.

Local leaders stressed the need for stronger Net Zero partnerships between local and national government. UK100 and leaders are calling for a comprehensive local Net Zero Delivery Framework to include a new Net Zero Delivery Board, a new Net Zero Delivery Unit and a Local Net Zero Powers Bill.

Leaders also voiced their concerns that Net Zero Review might be used to put a ceiling on local climate ambitions and called on Chris Skidmore to ensure the review, instead, unlocks local authority ambition to go further, faster.

Amidst the ongoing energy and cost-of-living crises, local leaders at the event also called on Chris Skidmore to leverage the Net Zero Review to build support for local domestic energy efficiency programmes. Upgrading the energy efficiency of homes in their communities would, they argued, reduce household energy bills, create jobs, build vital supply chains and market confidence, and reduce emissions.

The call echoes UK100’s ongoing “End the wait. Insulate.” campaign for a nationwide drive to upgrade social housing energy efficiency to protect some of the UK’s most vulnerable households from the worst effects of the energy crisis.

Speaking after the event, Chris Skidmore MP, said:

“It’s been great to meet with ambitious local authorities across the UK100 network as part of the Net Zero Review. Locally, council leaders and mayors are already at the vanguard of innovative emissions reduction projects, from social housing energy efficiency in Wiltshire to public green space regeneration in Sheffield. Participants were clear that it is only by unlocking the potential of our local leaders and businesses that the UK can deliver on our promise to deliver Net Zero while boosting our regional economies and supporting levelling up across the country.”

Polly Billington, UK100 Chief Executive, says:

“We are glad Chris Skidmore MP acknowledges the importance of the insight and experience of local leaders who are at the forefront of climate action in the UK. For the Net Zero Review to be successful, it needs to reflect the reality that, for all the vital international negotiations and agreements made in Egypt, it is the local leaders in their communities, like the UK100 members who Chris met this week, that are key to delivering on the promises made.”