Sustainability East in partnership with Climate East convened a workshop of key stakeholders to consider how the East of England can achieve its carbon reduction ambition – to reduce its carbon emissions by 60% (based on 1990 levels) by 2031.

The presentations and discussions highlighted the scale of the challenge and that a trajectory for decarbonisation is urgently required. The workshop report contains recommendations on next steps and actions.

The workshop looked the potential for carbon savings accross several key sectors including energy, transport, housing and agriculture and identified the urgent need for a clear trajectory for decarbonisation, including interim targets. Whilst there was broad support from participants for the target, it was clear that the target needs to be broken down sectorally - there is a need for similar work to the EEDA Transport and Carbon Study (TraCS) for other sectors so that the potential for carbon reductions is better understood and efforts can be targeted where they can be most effective. This will help the region to see whether and how the

60% target can be achieved in a collaborative way, what is required from each sector and what the trajectory for getting there is likely to be. This will help to support improved accountability and responsibility for delivery.  

The workshop report provides a useful context, syntheses the findings of the day and proposes recommendations for action.

Sustainability East and Climate East are committed to working collaboratively to support the region's transition to low carbon. The workshop identified a clear need for sound evidence and analysis on the capability of different sectors to contribute to the regional CO2 reduction target in order to identify policy priorities for delivery. However, a lack of evidence should not be an obstacle to taking action. We believe we can best support the shift to low carbon in the following ways:

1) persuading and assisting relevant partners to gather the evidence needed to inform policy development

2) championing for sustainable development and pro-environmental behaviour change principles to be at the heart of low carbon policy development and implementation

3) bringing together key partners in developing a communications strategy to promote coherent, consistent and positive messages going forward, keeping agendas and sectors joined up

4) leading by example by publishing what we are doing to shift to low carbon and promoting the same approach to our partners

We will shortly be convening a meeting of key delivery partners to discuss in detail how, as a region, we can move this agenda forward.

Links

Workshop programme

Presentations

Workshop report 

EEDA TraCS Study

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