Low carbon report ranks Leeds City Region as top performer

The LEP has been highly commended for its action on tackling climate change and supporting a low carbon economy in a new report published this week.

The research, commissioned with European funding*,is the first national review of all 39 LEPs’ commitments to a low carbon economy and is based on evidence from the LEP’s strategic economic plans and European funding strategies.

For LEP commitments to climate mitigation and LEP commitments to climate change, average score for adaptation, mitigation and the low carbon economy, the Leeds City Region LEP ranked first and second place respectively, and topped the rankings for all core city regions. Northern LEPs overall demonstrated the strongest commitment to the agenda with the Leeds City Region ranking in the top five in all metric commitment league tables.

The findings concluded that despite a lack of certainty and clear guidance from national government on what is expected from LEP’s in terms of climate change, there is a good range of local good practice on addressing climate adaptation, mitigation and the low carbon economy.

Paul Hamer, Chair of the Leeds City Region LEP’s Green Economy Panel who leads on the LEP’s low carbon agenda welcomed the news. He said:

“Our commitment to creating a lean, efficient and resource smart City Region is evident in our four key priorities for growing our economy in the LEP’s strategic economic plan. We are fortunate to have a dedicated and passionate Green Economy Panel which has helped shape this agenda in our region by bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge to help us develop a significant pipeline of activity.

“I welcome the findings in this report and the recommendations to further advance this agenda, particularly in light of the recent flooding and the challenges that the region has faced over the last month. We are already working with our neighbouring LEP’s on cross boundary initiatives that will bring significant benefits to our economy and we are open to working with LEP’s further afield to drive innovation and delivery and help shape national policy.”

For more information about the LEP’s activity on the resource efficiency agenda, please click here.

*Report full title – “Fit for the Future? Local Enterprise Partnerships’ Climate Ready and Low Carbon Economy Good Practice” Sustainability West Midlands, January 2016