WYCA’s climate and environment action plan at a glance
West Yorkshire's mayor wants to reach net zero carbon by 2038. Here's how ...
West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Climate, Energy and Environment Committee is meeting next to discuss its plan to reach net zero carbon by 2038. It’s timely given we’ve not only experienced the hottest day of the year so early into 2025 (21C on the spring equinox) but we’ve also heard Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, delivering, as the Telegraph’s Ambrose Evans-Pritchard put it, a “net zero rant” in which she said it was impossible for the UK to meet its net zero target by 2050 (a commitment made binding by a former version of her party, no less).
“I am fully committed to leading our region’s response to the climate emergency and protecting our environment,” West Yorkshire’s mayor, Tracy Brabin, has previously said. “The climate and environment emergency is a real and present danger, affecting our health and wellbeing today.” The updated plan outlines how that will happen. There’s a lot to it, with multiple layers, so we’ve some of the key bits and made it a tad more accessible below.
To secure, cost-effective and clean energy for all
Why this needs to be done
Electricity generation in the region needs to be greener and more diverse than it currently is – think a better mix of wind, solar and other low-carbon sources of power like hydroelectricity and bioenergy and drastically reducing the use of non-renewables like gas and coal (there’s a fine balance between full cessation and finding a balance between the amount of greenhouse gasses produced and removed).
Beyond helping the planet breathe a little better, cleaner and secure energy production should lower bills and get more people out of fuel poverty. The latter is a big and ongoing challenge in the region, with the Bradford District, for instance, experiencing one of the highest rates.
How WYCA will tackle these challenges
Create a multimillion-pound climate fund and a net zero scheme pipeline
Work with northern mayors to shape energy policies and deliver big energy projects
Make the public sector more eco-friendly (including developing and delivering a climate action plan)
Deliver West Yorkshire Local Area Energy Plans
Progress hydrogen clusters across the region
Plan infrastructure with future energy needs in mind
Work with local and regional governments to improve energy systems
Urge the government to lower electricity prices fairly for everyone
To deliver reliable, affordable, integrated zero-emission transport
Why this needs to be done
Transport is a major problem when it comes to tackling climate change. Case in point: in the UK as a whole, it’s the largest producer of greenhouse gases. In West Yorkshire, it’s the same story, with transport responsible for 37% of greenhouse gases emitted in the region.
What’s needed is a reset and a move away from a sort of car-first approach to travel. WYCA wants more people to “complete journeys” by other modes of transport, whether it’s on foot, on a bike or via (greener) buses or trains. And if you need to drive, for it to be via an electric car.
How WYCA will tackle these challenges
Invest in buses and active travel by funding and creating space for a reliable transport network
Back the bus and active transport modes by funding and providing space on our highway network to allow for a connected and reliable network
Deliver a franchised bus network
Begin work a mass transit system for West Yorkshire
Launch a Zero Emission Bus Programme to achieve a fully green bus fleet by 2036
Deliver on the ambitions of the West Yorkshire Rail Strategy
Develop an active travel strategy and speed up cycling and walking infrastructure plans
Develop cleaner, green, inclusive and accessible travel options
Encourage and promote the use of sustainable transport choices
Give priority to public transport, walking and cycling while reviewing road space and parking policies
Speed up the installation of electric vehicle charging points
Support more efficient and sustainable freight and logistics
Urge the government to back mass transit projects
Urge the government to provide a sustainable funding model for buses
Urge the government to invest in maintaining and improving public and active transport
Urge the government to progress plans for decarbonisation across all transport modes
To bolster climate resilience and a nature-rich region
Why this needs to be done
The natural world has taken quite a beating since the Industrial Revolution kicked off an unprecedented period of high-volume burning of fossil fuels – and West Yorkshire has not been immune to the consequences of this (see the impact of higher-than-average rainfall over the last two years on farming, for instance).
And with two-thirds of all British wildlife found in Yorkshire and the Humber and 39,000 residential properties at risk of flooding in West Yorkshire, being able to sustain, recover and/or adapt in an unpredictable world has never been more important.
How WYCA will tackle these challenges
Develop a Local Nature Recovery Strategy for West Yorkshire
Speed up efforts to improve biodiversity in the region
Strengthen flood protection using natural methods and climate resilience
Work with partners to improve water management across West Yorkshire
Identify and address climate change risks to local communities
Improve water quality and storage during droughts by working with key partners
Urge the government to support the Local Nature Recovery Strategy with funding
Urge the government to develop strong climate-resilient planning policies
To deliver warm, comfortable, low-carbon homes
Why this needs to be done
Homes. That perennial problem whatever way you look at it. And when it comes to climate change, they’re a big menace. For instance, approximately 31% of the region’s emissions come from housing that is powered and heated by fossil fuels. In West Yorkshire it’s no small feat, especially when it comes to retrofitting homes (we have a lot of old homes, as an example, with pre-1919 homes representing 23% of dwellings – it’s 19% nationally).
There’s also a financial upside for making homes much greener and cleaner, whether that’s via better insulation, the use of heat pumps instead of regular boilers or through solar panels. We’re talking cheaper bills.
How WYCA will tackle these challenges
Create a one-stop shop to provide advice, information and services for energy efficiency and low-carbon heating
Create a digital platform providing free and impartial information on retrofitting
Run campaigns to raise awareness of retrofitting and associated benefits
Find and test ways to help households afford being able to retrofit
Boost the supply of the right homes in the right places
Launch a long-term plan for retrofitting social housing, aiming to insulate every home by 2038
Test new ways to improve homes with energy-saving upgrades and renewable energy, reducing fuel poverty and improving health
Offer or guide residents to funding options through a one-stop shop to help them them make their homes more energy efficient
Help local councils set higher energy efficiency standards for new homes
Create a plan to boost green jobs and train people to cater to increasing retrofit and low-carbon new build demands
Urge the government to support green job growth and specialist training for increased retrofitting and low-carbon new build demands
Urge the government to provide clear and stable rules on energy efficiency for all housing types
Urge the government to support the development of low-carbon homes in a way that is cost-effective and meets the needs of West Yorkshire’s residents
To decarbonise businesses, create good green jobs and a skilled workforce
Businesses, big and small, are major polluters (they accounted for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2020). Getting them to address climate change seriously and proportionately is vital if West Yorkshire is going to hit its goals by 2038.
As for green jobs, which is again critical to shifting the narrative around climate change, it’s a real toughie. There’s still a lot of unknowns about how to grow this workforce – and the economy, locally and nationally, still feels a long way away from becoming properly green and low-carbon. On the bright side, the challenge is noted and understood as needing innovative solutions.
How WYCA will tackle these challenges
Provide support and advice to businesses of all sizes to help them become more sustainable
Offer targeted training programs to grow the local workforce and develop skills for green jobs
Help all businesses adopt circular economy practices and use materials more efficiently
Create a regional cluster for low and net zero carbon industries, building on local strengths to grow the green economy
Partner with education and training providers to support businesses and workers
Strengthen regional supply chains to support home upgrades and public transport projects, encouraging new green technologies and services
Promote green skills as a key part of achieving net zero, working with schools, colleges and employers to embed them across different sectors
Support industrial sites and business clusters in cutting carbon emissions
Urge the government to create clear and stable policies for business decarbonisation, including funding for small businesses and industrial support
Urge the government to provide Department for Business and Trade alignment to develop key supply chains, clusters and niches
Urge the government to improve data on business and industry decarbonisation across the region
The Climate, Energy and Environment Committee will meet on Tuesday 25 March at 2pm