26 SEPTEMBER, LONDON — UK100 welcomes the new The Future Is Local report from the Local Mission Zero Network, of which we are a member. The report is co-authored by the Government’s former Net Zero Tsar, Chris Skidmore OBE MP and the Mayor of Tees Valley, Ben Houchen.

As we launch a new chapter of our landmark Powers in Place, we have also created a series of issue-based briefing notes to help our members digest the key takeaways from the comprehensive report.

Local authorities face “Kafkaesque” barriers to achieving Net Zero goals, reveals a comprehensive new UK100 report. Powers in Place calls for a new Net Zero Local Powers Bill and Net Zero Delivery Framework. The report is released as UK100 joins Chris Skidmore MP’s Local Mission Zero Network and announces plans to work together to drive forward policy solutions to overcome the barriers to local Net Zero.

UK100's new report argues that Birmingham, Camden, Hertfordshire, Leeds and Nottingham are leading the way in integrating climate and clean air policies but Ministers' "refusal to recognise the importance of joined-up policy making" is stalling wider progress.

Reflecting on UK100's achievements in 2022.

UK100's new report sets out a plan for the UK Government to support local authorities to drive nationwide social housing energy efficiency upgrades to slash bills for some of the most vulnerable households amidst the energy and cost-of-living crises.

This report outlines the response which UK100 provided to the National Infrastructure Commission's call for evidence based upon their Second National Infrastructure Assessment Baseline Report.

While it has legislated for Net Zero nationally, the UK Government’s approach to working in partnership with local authorities to enable programmes and projects that will achieve Net Zero hasn’t delivered to date.

Both the Climate Change Committee and the National Audit Office have highlighted the fundamental role of local authorities in delivering on the UK Government’s ambitions to be Net Zero by 2050. To do so, local authorities need more powers to act.

Following the launch of the Resilient Recovery Taskforce in September 2020, UK100 convened a series of workshops with local authority members and experts from the clean energy sector to share insights on local on-the-ground delivery and to identify priorities for action.