Official says ‘there isn’t enough public sector money to achieve decarbonisation of cities’
The Old Market Gap bike lane(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)
A lack of cash is jeopardising Bristol’s net zero climate goals and millions of pounds are needed from the private sector. Bristol has slashed how much greenhouse gas is emitted locally in the past two decades, but there is not enough public funding to reach net zero emissions.
Bristol City Council has published a long list of 90 actions in the push to reach net zero. But many of these rely on uncertain funding from the government, companies or investors. One big ticket item was recently removed as the West of England Combined Authority withdrew support.
Blocking through-traffic on Park Street was expected to drive up the number of people taking the bus, walking or cycling. But the West of England chose not to pay for it, so the scheme won’t go ahead – an example illustrating the precarious nature of lots of climate actions. An update on the net zero plan was given to the environment policy committee on Thursday, February 26.
Green Cllr Martin Fodor, chair of the environment committee, said: “It’s important to demonstrate to our partners that we’re taking this seriously, playing our part, and we’re looking for those partnerships and funders. I’m really impressed with the amount of funding that’s been brought in – locally, nationally, European and internationally – that has helped contribute to actions here.
“We’re still looking, so that we can do all the things that are in the action plan.”
So far the action plan has included replacing 36,000 street lights with efficient LEDs, saving over £1 million a year in energy bills; installing better insulation in buildings making them cheaper to heat; replacing diesel vans with electric vehicles, which also reduces air pollution; and training council staff on topics such as how to reduce climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions.
New bike paths and bus lanes have helped encourage more people to cycle or take public transport instead of driving cars. And the landmark City Leap deal was signed between the council, Ameresco and Vattenfall, paving the way for hundreds of millions of pounds investment into generating renewable energy and expanding the district heat networks, among other work.
However much Bristol does reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, the climate is still forecast to warm up over the coming years, bringing extreme heatwaves, storms and floods. Work has begun on an analysis called the Keep Bristol Cool framework, which explores how to protect Bristolians from the effects of much hotter summers, including planting trees for better shade.
One way the council has tried to overcome the lack of cash is by getting locals to invest in its climate action plan. More than £2 million has been raised already via an innovative scheme, where the council sells bonds to investors. The money helps pay for measures to cut carbon emissions, while also providing a better return than standard savings accounts.
Alex Ivory, the council’s climate change team manager, said: “Everybody in this sector realises there isn’t enough public sector money to achieve decarbonisation of cities. A large amount of it will have to come from the private sector.”
Transport emits the most greenhouse gases in Bristol, these Government figures show(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)
Cllr Fodor added: “We’re seen as one of the places that has really demonstrated how to have a whole spectrum of funding of different scales, from the million odd through the hundred million potentially. That’s really good news. It’s not enough yet, but it’s a good start.”
Getting the private sector to pay for projects raises a question about a lack of scrutiny. Labour has been trying to get an update to the environment committee on how the City Leap deal is going so far, as much of Bristol’s planned climate actions will be delivered by this project. But Cllr Fodor declined a request to bring a scrutiny paper to the committee.
Labour Cllr Kye Dudd, a former cabinet member who was instrumental in the City Leap deal, said: “I’ve been asking for a general scrutiny paper on how well that’s doing, probably for about a year now. It’s a 20-year project and a lot of money. This committee needs to be having regular updates, and we’ve not had one in the last two years. I think that’s a bit disappointing.”
Cllr Fodor replied that the committee would monitor the individual projects in City Leap. He added that its performance is the responsibility of the strategy and resources policy committee, rather than the environment committee.