As the graph shows, many of the changes we need to become Carbon Neutral region are already happening, but they now need to accelerate.
BEIS data shows that in the Combined Authority region, carbon emissions from industry reduced by 40% between 2005 and 2015, while domestic carbon emissions reduced by 30%. But carbon emissions from transport have made no progress at all: they are just as bad as in 2005.
We need to continue and accelerate the pace of change, but in particular we need to make sure that the Combined Authority’s forthcoming investments in Transport and Housing support the transition to the clean, low carbon economy, rather than locking us into the past. This is a real danger.
Note that in our calculations, we are only including the sectors for which BEIS collates and publishes quantitative data on carbon emissions. However it is clear that carbon emissions can also be reduced significantly through changes in diet (eating less red meat, more plant based food), by reducing waste and by changing preferences in consumption (eg buying services, rather than stuff)