Climate change action plan 2021-23

Priority Action Area 3 - Heating
Existing Buildings and New Buildings
Poor energy efficiency in both domestic and nondomestic
buildings results in the demand for excess
heating. This causes unnecessarily high carbon emissions
and energy costs. We will address this by progressing
our work towards low-carbon district heat networks in
our towns and supporting the implementation of
renewable heat sources in rural areas, such as heat
pumps, by supporting residents to apply for available
funding support and drawing inward investment into
the County.
Priority Action Area 4 - Transport
We will take a number of actions as part of this plan
to help transport in the County become, wherever
possible, low carbon with zero tailpipe emissions,
protecting local air quality and reducing noise.
Priority Action Area 5 - Renewable
Energy Generation
Continuing to generate energy from renewable sources
across the County is both sustainable and a driver for
economic growth. Whilst we acknowledge that the UK’s
national grid is projected to decarbonise substantially
between now and 2030, there is much that the Council
can do to support renewable energy generation. We
will achieve this through taking a number of actions
including continued support for renewable technology
where installations are technically possible, economically
feasible, environmentally advantageous and socially
acceptable: including wind, solar and hydro.
Priority Action Area 6 - Natural
Resource-Based Carbon Sequestration
The County enjoys a vast spread of land and forestry.
Carbon is sequestered by forestry, grassland, wetlands
and peat, while carbon losses occur on existing
cropland and natural land that is converted to cropland.
We will continue to work with our partners in our
natural capital sector to progress integrated land use
which enhances, safeguards sequestration and the
associated biodiversity, whilst supporting local
climate action and boosting rural economy.
Priority Action Area 7 - Reducing Waste
Northumberland County Council will support and
engage our communities to consider a more circular
approach to our economy and reduce waste by
supporting efforts to design out waste, keeping
materials in operation and productive use for as long
as possible. This will reduce climate impacts and open
new opportunities for businesses and consumers to
provide and purchase sustainable goods and services.
The Route to Net-Zero
Savings are required across each emissions source,
together with increased negative emissions in order
to meet net-zero. Realising the scenarios modelled in
this plan would require significant levels of inclusive
investment across the various strands of work.
Investment would need to cover substantial capital
costs for projects. Our initial modelling puts the
figure needed to realise the net-zero ambition at
approximately £1.6bn. The investment required in
realising these scenarios would not only result in green
infrastructure but could create around 11,000 jobs
within Northumberland across many sectors and skill
levels ranging from tree planting to highly skilled
construction and engineering jobs.
Beyond 2030
The Council understands that, in order to realise the
national ambition of a net-zero UK by 2050, locations
such as Northumberland which enjoy large areas of
natural resources, will have to become carbon-negative
in order to compensate for major urban conurbations
which are unlikely to be able to achieve carbon
neutrality themselves.
Beyond 2030, the council will continue to align itself
with national objectives and support the UK’s target
of a net-zero country by 2050 by continuing to pursue
the strategies set out in this plan.
Climate Change Action Plan 2021-23 9