Government and RDAs commit to regional action on climate change

The agreement – signed by Moira Wallace, permanent secretary at DECC and Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) chief executive Steven Broomhead on behalf of the nine RDAs – is strategic rather than tactical.

It sets out broad priorities for Government and regional co-operation in tackling climate change.

Wallace said: “Both DECC and RDAs want to see the development of low carbon regional economies, to secure sustainable energy supplies, to achieve climate and energy targets and to make sure businesses know what they can do to save energy and money on fuel bills.

“By signing this strategic partnership agreement DECC and the RDAs are demonstrating their commitment to making this work together.”

A spokesperson for NWDA said that while no specific initiatives are planed at the moment – either in terms of green opportunities, or for making regional businesses more energy efficient – the agreement would have the effect of adding momentum to low carbon initiatives at a regional level. “It shows we are serious,” she said.

Earlier this summer the NWDA announced £10 million of funding for carbon reduction initiatives in its region, including £4.4 million to help SMEs fund investments in the environmentally friendly capital equipment and £2.2 million to encourage the development and demonstration of carbon emission reducing technologies.

The NWDA spokesperson said the signing of today’s agreement is likely to provide the impetus for RDAs to fund similar projects in the future, delivered through Business Link.

The agreement will also require the RDAs to co-operate on climate change initiatives. Suggestions that this might be difficult where agencies are competing for inward investment are dismissed by the NWDA spokesperson, who points out that many of the RDAs have a strong track record when it comes to working together – for example, NWDA, One North East and Yorkshire Forward have co-operated on a number of projects as part of ‘Northern Way’.

The agreement signed by the RDAs and DECC today identifies four key areas where they share priorities.

The agreement commits the two signatories to the development of low carbon, energy-efficient regional economies, with secure and sustainable energy supplies which are well placed to exploit new opportunities and drive economic recovery.

It also signs them up to supporting the achievement of national climate change and energy targets through regional action.

Another of the shared priorities is to stimulate the market, supply chain and skills development and innovation to deliver renewables, energy efficiency, nuclear power, clean fossil fuels and other low carbon technologies.

Finally, the agreement commits the RDAs and DECC to ensuring that businesses are well informed about carbon reduction and energy efficiency opportunities and support and deliver reductions in practice.

Progress against these objectives will be monitored by The Low Carbon Economy Team of DECC and NWDA.

“As lead RDA for DECC, the NWDA will ensure all RDAs are committed to supporting Government targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 34 per cent by 2020 and 80 per cent by 2050,” said the NWDA’ Steven Broomhead.

“We can show strong leadership on this agenda through developing the new regional strategies, by supporting energy and other low carbon technology through innovation, supply chain and skills development, as well as securing energy efficiency and carbon reductions for businesses through Business Link and related services.”