Aberdeen sets out vision of being climate positive city

Aberdeen City Council’s committee has approved a plan to position the city as a climate positive city while helping to lead the world on the rapid shift to a net zero future.

The council’s urgent business committee unanimously agreed the Net Zero City Vision paper which aims to deliver both environmental and economic benefits to the city. The plan positions Aberdeen as having to respond, as a city and place, to the environmental imperative and also considers its role as a world leader in the energy sector as an economic driver for the city, region, Scotland and the UK.

The report said the scale and pace of transformation that is now needed in order to respond to economic recovery and in due course economic restructure, is key to the city’s economic development. The report makes the point that this is a sprint and not a marathon, and a matter of urgency for the city and its economy.

The paper also said that there are five co-dependent strategic objectives that will support the economic imperative to transition to a different energy future beyond oil and gas: leading the global transition; accelerating transition demand; be a resilient, productive and dynamic place; be climate positive exemplar; and putting people first.

Actions within the report include: by 2032 (or even earlier if feasible) there is no need for anyone in Scotland to buy a petrol or diesel car or van and that electric vehicle charging infrastructure supporting policies need to be in place as well as infrastructure for public transport and cycling; that all buildings are as energy efficient as can be practically achieved and that ‘low-regret’ forms of low carbon heating (e.g. hybrid heat pumps, low-carbon district heating) are being rolled out at scale in the 2020s; there is support the necessary changes in Scottish land use that will underpin net zero, that switches to low-carbon heat and improve energy and resource efficiency in industry are incentivised, embracing the work of the energy sector and offshore sector in becoming a net zero producing basin and the Energy Transition Zone; and engaging with the public on emissions reduction opportunities to make lifestyle changes such as more walking and cycling, having healthier diets, and adopting new low-carbon technologies including electric vehicles and low-carbon heating.

Jenny Laing, co-leader of the council, said: “Green recovery will be a big part of how the Aberdeen economy responds to Covid-19 and the Net Zero Vision already builds on the plans we have in the Local Outcome Improvement Plan. Aberdeen is a world-leader in energy technologies providing a major economic stream locally and nationally while already embracing the global energy transition. We have an enviable track record of leading on deploying climate friendly actions including the EOWDC and H2 Aberdeen, and now in working collectively on leading the transition to net zero activities.

“This provides an opportunity for the city to become an exemplar in the energy transition towards net zero and lead the way in how to change in a dynamic and thoughtful way. It also aligns to the work of World Energy Cities Partnership and its work around climate change. We look forward to the future and working with public and private sector partner organisations and companies to achieve net zero together.”