Over 1,000 homes a day could be retrofitted with low-carbon efficiency measures by councils by 2030 - reducing energy bills by nearly £700 million – with the right investment and support, a revolutionary new plan unveiled by the Local Government Association sets out today.
Councils are a unique and powerful partner in achieving net zero, able to impact on more than a third of all emissions from villages, towns and cities, such as through housing, transport and the natural environment.
Ahead of the COP26 summit in Glasgow starting at the end of the month, a new report commissioned by the LGA, 'Delivering local net zero', sets out the case for why councils are best-placed to deliver green infrastructure projects in local communities, which would support the Government’s ambition to level up, build back better and tackle the climate emergency.
The LGA is calling on the Government to use next week’s Spending Review to begin work with councils and businesses on a national fiscal and policy framework to address the climate emergency.
With the right powers and investment of £12.2 billion by 2030, the LGA report sets out how councils can:
- Retrofit 3.49 million homes with energy efficiency measures by 2030, 2.34 million more than under the current plan – amounting to on average 1,017 homes retrofitted each day that would save £698 million per year from energy bills;
- Create the warmer and comfortable homes and buildings that would reduce costs to the NHS by £1.9 billion every year;
- Support almost 31,000 new, skilled jobs in the construction and retrofitting industries.
The LGA said the Spending Review and COP26 summit should mark the beginning of a new climate change partnership between central and local government, and see a new approach to investment that gives councils the long-term funding to decarbonise building stock, reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport and deliver clean energy projects.
In order to safely meet the Committee on Climate Change’s balanced pathway to net zero, further investment is needed to help councils shift 1.5 billion journeys from cars to walking or cycling in England by 2030.
In addition, councils are key to delivering clean energy projects through the planning system, and so having the resource and capability to continue the provision of renewable energy and heat networks will be fundamental to meeting net zero.
Following today’s announcement on reducing carbon emissions from heating homes and other buildings, as part of a wider government strategy to achieve net zero, Cllr David Renard, LGA environment spokesperson, said:
“Climate change requires significant international, national, and local leadership, but only councils can mobilise and join-up the collective action in the places people live their lives and where businesses do their business.
“This report sets out the significant strides we can take to reducing carbon emissions with the right investment and resources for councils in the Spending Review, which would also save millions on energy bills for households and businesses.
“From decarbonising building stock, reducing the number of car journeys and delivering clean energy projects, councils have influence over a third of emissions from their areas and have a pivotal role to play in addressing the climate emergency.”
