Posted 19.10.21
Local Government Association (LGA): Further reading
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.
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.
With the right powers and investment of £12.2 billion by 2030, the LGA report sets out how councils can:
The LGA is calling on the Government to begin work with councils and businesses on a national fiscal and policy framework to address the climate emergency.
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Posted 18.10.21
GOV.UK: Further reading
Through the Heat and Buildings Strategy, the government has set out its plan to incentivise people to install low-carbon heating systems in a simple, fair and cheap way as they come to replace their old boilers over the coming decade.
This aims to significantly reduce the UK's dependency on fossil fuels and exposure to global price spikes, whilst supporting up to 240,000 jobs across the UK by 2035.
New grants of £5,000 will be available from April next year to encourage homeowners to install more efficient, low carbon heating systems - like heat pumps that do not emit carbon when used - through a new £450 million 3-year Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
The £450 million Boiler Upgrade Scheme is part of more than £3.9 billion of new funding for decarbonising heat and buildings.
This will fund the next 3 years of investment through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, the Home Upgrade Grant scheme, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and the Heat Networks Transformation Programme. It also aims to reduce carbon emissions from public buildings through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.
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Posted 15.10.21
London Councils: Further reading
A new plan to achieve net zero across all London properties could see a £98 billion investment in the green economy and result in massive environmental and economic benefits.
All 33 of the capital's local authorities have agreed a joint plan to cut carbon emissions from London's 3,781,477 domestic buildings by retrofitting to improve energy efficiency.
Homes are responsible for around one third of London's greenhouse gas emissions. By committing to upgrade all housing stock to an average energy performance rating of EPC B by 2030, boroughs will drive a dramatic decarbonisation of London property and make vital progress on the capital's path towards net zero.
With the government's Spending Review and the COP26 climate change summit fast approaching, boroughs are urging minsters to increase local government's resources for this work.
Research underpinning the boroughs' plan states that if London continues to emit carbon dioxide at current levels, its entire carbon budget will be used by 2027 (based on London's share of the UK carbon budget).
Achieving the reductions needed to align with the carbon budgets set by the Paris Agreement will require a rapid switch away from gas for heating, the majority of which has to be completed this decade.
London Councils estimates that achieving net zero in every London property will cost £98 billion overall, but that this target will support 200,000 jobs linked to insulating and retrofitting by 2030.
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Updated 20.10.21
E3G: Three key takeaways from the Heat & Buildings Strategy
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