What does Levelling Up mean for Net Zero?
Back in 2020, our Towns Fund experts highlighted how levelling up put a ‘renewed onus on towns’ to level up our nation and noted that there were huge opportunities to develop places for people to “live, work and play”.
The Net Zero agenda provides further opportunities for Towns to deliver these aspirations. Seen as an opportunity to improve quality of life, boost local economies, and contribute to cleaner, greener environments for future generations, it is easy to see how so much of Net Zero aspirations echo the priorities of the Levelling Up agenda. We have outlined some of the ways in which Town Deal projects can both level up communities and deliver on sustainability goals to meet Net Zero aspirations.
Opportunities for growth
Towns need to consider both the industries that may be negatively impacted as part of the Net Zero agenda, and the new industries and services that could boom. By looking ahead and planning effectively, Towns can put themselves in the best position to use these opportunities, whilst also minimising economic risk.
Upskilling communities
There is significant scope for Towns to link green employment to the requirements of particular projects. For example, locally-focused procurement tactics can benefit residents and businesses with opportunities for upskilling and attracting investment. This could play a part in a local ‘green revolution’ that benefits communities first.
Attracting investment
By thinking more widely in the business case process, Towns can use projects to attract the industries behind innovative technologies that are key to reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. In some cases, this could place areas ‘on the map’ and create innovation hubs around particular industries or technologies.
More broadly, Towns can also collaborate to create heat pump or hydrogen cluster opportunities which would power a series of projects and widen the benefits of the supply chain, employment and economic prosperity.
The ‘just transition’
Naturally, there will be human implications of moving to Net Zero in terms of the transition of industry, modes of transport, and of building materials. Towns need to think about these considerations and ask whether the costs and benefits generated by these transitions to a Net Zero society are shared, fair and equitable to the people they impact.
The principles of creating and delivering social value through Net Zero and Levelling Up can mitigate the risks associated with the ‘just transition’. Through integrating Net Zero requirements and considerations in projects, Towns can significantly improve the wellbeing and experience of their communities. Examples include:
Improving climate resilience
Improving air quality
Improving health and wellbeing by enabling access to green spaces
Integrating active travel and associated infrastructure
Generating employment opportunities and upskilling communities
Implementing innovative technologies that improve energy resilience and stability
Incorporating placemaking principles in project design to create a nice place for people to live and work
By first understanding and designing the benefits into projects, Towns can communicate them outwardly to key stakeholders and communities, which will drive invaluable feedback and help to gain buy-in for Net Zero projects.
Whilst community support will largely depend on the project and the scale of project delivery, a Town with a community that believes in its Net Zero initiatives is more likely to accept change and support these ambitions.
By working with and engaging communities, Towns can grow awareness about the opportunities of a ‘green revolution’ and capitalise on the opportunity of integrating Net Zero seamlessly into their projects to further level up areas.