GMCA says net zero ambitions ‘still considered achievable’
A new report shows Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s aim to be carbon-neutral by 2038 will require an acceleration in decarbonisation efforts.
The Greater Manchester Strategy: Progress Report Spring 2023 gives a snapshot of where the council is at with its carbon goals, as well as the next steps it will be taking.
Here is a breakdown of GMCA’s ambitions set out in its previous five-year environmental plan, launched in 2019:
- Retrofit 61,000 homes per year, with a target of 305,000 by 2024
- Reduce emissions from industrial buildings by 38% by 2025.
The authority’s latest progress report states that the level and depth of retrofitting required to meet its goal is “highly challenging”, with numbers falling short each year. The highest number of homes retrofitted in one year is currently 37,000, just over half of its 61,000-homes target.
Since 2018, the GMCA reports a 15% reduction in industrial carbon emissions, and a 24% reduction in commercial.
Proposals for the next five-year plan will focus on the acceleration of decarbonisation, particularly through retrofitting. That plan will launch in 2024.
The authority’s latest progress report highlights its existing retrofit accelerator programmes, such as its ‘Your Home Better’ service, which targets and offers advice to homeowners able to fund their own property upgrades.
Also, on-site installations of energy performance measures have already begun on more than 900 properties in Greater Manchester. These are expected to complete in June. These installations are part of the nationwide Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund – a £97.4m programme, aiming to retrofit more than 5,000 council-owned homes.
Aside from residential, the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme involves the completion of building surveys and reports provided by energy provider SSE. The project has a total value of £5.5m, with commissions aiming to be completed in July.
GMCA will meet on 24 March to discuss its net zero progress in detail.
This net zero lark is a complete waste of time, resources and potential to improve the life’s of people here in the U.K.- it’s making us poorer and less free- all in the aim of reducing atmospheric carbon which over 100 years has done and will do very limit damage
By Stuart
Stuart is completely wrong. Even if he were right about atmospheric carbon (against almost every person who has looked at it seriously), then the prize of having warm, dry homes that cost less to heat is worth having on its own.
By Peter Black
If you want cheaper energy prices for everyone’s home(who’s doesn’t want this) then net zero policies will do just the opposite- pulling out efficient gas boilers and replacing them with expensive and cold heat pumps and spending billions very year to subsidies solar panels will make everyone poorer and not fix the climate bone inch
By Stuart wood
Who told you that Stuart? Someone credible or a fossil fuel-funded think tank / far right media outlet presumably.
By Anonymous
Not a cat in hells chance of meeting the 2038 target.
By Anonymous
Passivhaus should the standard for homes built for social rent if the GMCA is serious about reducing emissions for housing.
By Anonymous