Feature
Empowering local action for the UK's Net Zero future
F [ Zung Nguyen Vu Partner at TPXimpact ]
18
rom the future of North Sea oil exploration, to the ongoing debate around ultra low emission zones and the UK’s sluggish transition to electric vehicles (EVs), the question of how Britain can realise its net zero ambitions is dominating political discourse and media headlines. With the next general election edging closer, the country's leading political parties are increasingly discussing their take on the UK’s green agenda. We are seeing them put forward a range of policies to protect the environment, while also guaranteeing energy security and driving economic growth. While scrutinising climate policies and goals on a national level is undoubtedly important, the question of how these policies and technologies are implemented can sometimes be neglected. This may be partially down to the fact that talking about the delivery of climate projects and complicated technologies on a local level is less glamorous than making big promises and announcements that pertain to the whole of the country. Yet, focussing on local implementation is absolutely essential to advancing the UK’s journey towards net zero. In the UK, environmental projects are typically designed by central government agencies and then handed down to councils to put in place. But local authorities are having to implement these while facing their own challenges, such as strained and tightening budgets. A number of councils have even been forced to issue a section 114 notice over the last months, effectively declaring themselves bankrupt, including Birmingham, Croydon and Thurrock councils. Having exhausted their financial reserves, a growing number of local authorities are struggling to stay afloat and deliver basic services to residents. Against this backdrop, it is not surprising that environmental goals and implementation
airqualitynews.com
can fall off the agenda of many councils. Locked in fierce competition for funding with other local authorities and lacking experience with technological implementation, local authorities will only be able to drive meaningful change on the ground if they receive targeted government support. Targeting Government Support for Local Environmental Initiatives There is a lot the government can do to help councils turn their environmental goals into actionable, scalable projects. First and foremost, the government must overhaul the way it designs environmental grants. Financial support for councils often takes the form of grants, many of which can be piecemeal and difficult for local authorities to access. Redesigning grants is both achievable and necessary and will require addressing every stage of the funding process. This includes clearly defining the objectives for each fund, simplifying language, requesting only information that is needed for the application, and standardising the application process so that councils don’t have to relearn how to respond each time a new fund appears. In addition, more needs to be done to enhance collaboration between councils. Working independently from each other is not only highly inefficient, as it results in duplication of work, but also prevents councils from learning from each other’s successful projects. Rather than isolating councils, the government needs to bring them together to deliver environmental protection on a local level and standardise technologies such as EV charging points or solar grids. Increasing engagement between councils, while also ensuring successful projects are scalable so they can be implemented in different areas, will allow for more seamless integration and collaboration both between local authorities and between councils and the government.
