Zero-emission buses and a plastic-free city are part of Manchester’s bold green strategy

Greater Manchester has unveiled its ambition to become one of Europe’s leading green city regions as it outlined plans to bring forward carbon neutrality by at least a decade to 2040.

The mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, together with local leaders, discussed the region’s green desires at its inaugural Green Summit. The new commitments laid out this week will be one of the UK and Europe’s most ambitious carbon neutrality targets. 

The current target is for Greater Manchester to reduce emissions by 80-90% by 2050 (from 1990), in line with the UK’s target, but the summit will hear about revised and more ambitious targets. Burnham and other leaders will speak about their pledge to bring that target closer by at least a decade to mitigate climate change and capitalise on the economic opportunities presented by the renewable energy industry.

In order for lofty ambitions to be met, the region is exploring radical proposals that include building zero carbon homes, an emissions-free bus fleet, doubling the provision of charging points for electric vehicles, a Greater Manchester energy company, and a plastic-free city-region campaign.

Burnham claims early investment in green technologies and policies would bring huge economic benefits and jobs to the region. “A carbon-neutral city region needn’t be some far-off ambition, the reality is that we can’t afford to wait; climate change is happening now,” he added. “A green future is there for the taking if we just take that first step to go for it. For Greater Manchester, today is that first big step.”

Key proposals at the summit include:

• Ambition for Greater Manchester to become carbon neutral at least a decade earlier than 2050 – using science-based targets to set our ambition and pathway.
• Public sector agencies to consider vacating premises that do not meet minimum energy performance standards.
• Move to an emissions-free bus fleet and, if possible, speed up the process using new bus powers available to Mayors.
• Establish a new public-sector-led commercial model for the Greater Manchester electric vehicle charging network this year and double the size of the present system.
• Transform cycling and walking in the city-region by investing up to £50m per year for three years from 2019/20, supporting Chris Boardman’s groundbreaking ‘Made to Move’ report.
• To develop a Greater Manchester Infrastructure Strategy later this year to include energy, digital, transport, waste, waste water and natural environment infrastructure.

Climate change experts say this move is necessary if Greater Manchester is to meet Paris Agreement targets. 

Burnham added: “Greater Manchester has never been afraid to be a pioneer - and today’s Green Summit presents us with a fantastic opportunity to be bold in our ambitions and become a UK and European Leader. More local renewable energy is achievable and is increasingly becoming cheaper and cleaner than carbon fuels. Although initial investment can be expensive, the long-term rewards and savings are huge. What we can’t afford are the long-term costs of carrying on as we are.”

Speaking ahead of her keynote speech at the summit, Emma Howard Boyd, chair of the Environment Agency, said: “The challenge climate change poses cities in 2018 is to reduce the increasing risk of floods and drought, while attracting investment for a healthy, green place to live. In meeting its ambition to be one of Europe’s greenest city regions, the world’s first industrial city can be an economic trailblazer again. The Environment Agency will do everything we can to help Greater Manchester realise these aims.”