100 per cent renewable sources for West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire Combined Authority is set to outline the steps it is taking internally to address the climate emergency at an upcoming meeting.

The Combined Authority’s Clean Growth Action Plan will emphasise how the organisationwill play its part in supporting the Leeds City Region to become a net zero carbon economy by 2038 at the latest, with steps covering all operations, bus stations and offices to reduce harmful emissions whilst also improving efficiencies in water, energy and waste.

The authority declared a climate emergency in June and has worked with respected Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research which found that the City Region must halve its emissions every five years in order to reach net zero by 2038.

Installing solar panels, replacing all combined authority vans with electric alternatives, sourcing all energy from 100 per cent renewable sources and working towards zero carbon bus stations are just some of the actions outlined in the plan.    

 Susan Hinchcliffe, chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and leader of Bradford Council, said: “The climate emergency is one of the biggest challenges we face and scale of the task we face cannot be underestimated – this will require transformative and substantial changes to many aspects of our everyday lives such as how we work, how we build new homes and how we travel.

“The combined authority is working with its partners to lay the foundations as we work towards becoming a net zero carbon City Region and this plan outlines how we will begin this journey. It’s vital that we ensure that no one is left behind as we move forward with our ambitions. We must ensure all communities, no matter where they live in the City Region, benefit from the opportunities this transition will create.”