Climate Action Plan for the next Mayor of Liverpool City Region

What can the next Mayor do for people and planet?

We're facing a climate and ecological emergency – the biggest threat we’ve ever seen to humanity’s existence. Whoever is elected as the next Mayor of Liverpool City Region can’t single-handedly solve the crisis, but they must use the powers they have to make as big a difference as possible. They have a very important role to play in providing a guiding vision for the area, and will need to work with councils, businesses, local communities and the national government.

The Liverpool City Region has had a Pathway to Net Zero in place since 2019 to meet its target of net zero by 2040. Some progress has been made, as acknowledged by Climate Emergency UK’s Council Climate Action Scorecards, which assessed all UK councils on the actions they've taken towards net zero. However, action needs to be accelerated in several areas such as improving air quality, protecting and planting trees, and retrofitting homes with insulation. This Climate Action Plan will help the next Mayor do this using the devolved powers and funding granted to them.

How green is Liverpool City Region?

10 priorities for the next Mayor

1. Ensure all plans, programmes and investment decisions are in line with what’s needed to address the climate and ecological emergency and are aligned with international, national, regional and local carbon reduction targets. 
2. Ensure that the voices of those most impacted by climate breakdown and nature loss are heard and given centre-stage in decision making.
3. Support new green jobs. Protect workers and communities through a just transition to a low-carbon, nature-rich, circular economy, including linking skills training to low-carbon jobs.
4. Ensure new housing is zero carbon and served by sustainable transport using their strategic planning powers and influence on constituent local planning authorities. Use brownfield regeneration and affordable housing funding to deliver zero-carbon homes in locations accessible by public transport and active travel.
5. Take a leading role in bringing existing homes in the area up to high energy efficiency standards to reduce emissions and put an end to fuel poverty. Ensure that existing homes are protected from extreme weather events including heatwaves and floods.
6. Set targets and strategies to double public transport use, cycling and walking within the next 10 years, and set out a plan to achieve interim World Health Organization (WHO) air quality standards by 2030. Step up action to meet these targets, including investing in the right infrastructure and working with operators to ensure that public transport services are reliable, affordable and better connected.
7. Lead the further development and implementation of the Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP), with an emphasis on increasing the supply of clean, renewable energy, including supporting community energy initiatives and urgently increasing the roll-out of heat pumps.
8. Ensure that the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) being developed for the area increases tree cover, protects and enhances nature, eliminates green space deprivation, and helps the area become more resilient to the impacts of climate change.
9. Lead the development of a circular economy strategy for the area with local businesses and local authorities to both cut waste and resource consumption and boost the green economy.
10. Tackle climate and community-damaging emissions originating from all forms of transport (including shipping) in the Liverpool City Region Freeport. Ensure the Freeport contributes to the 2040 net zero target with genuine investment in low-carbon activities.