New partnership to tackle carbon emissions in region

A new partnership has been formed in a bid to make urban areas in the North West less vulnerable to carbon dioxide emissions.

Northwest Climate Change Partnership members have joined forces with the European Union GRaBS project.

The Northwest Climate Change Partnership is a group of organisations that drives and supports the implementation of the region's climate change action plan, which was formed in January 2007.

The North West GRaBS alliance, which stands for Green and Blue Space Adaptation for Urban Areas and Eco Towns, is part of a network of 14 partners across eight European member states that are working towards integrating climate change adaptation into regional planning and development through the use of green spaces and waterways.

Through the Northwest Climate Change Partnership, the North West Development Agency and University of Manchester will share knowledge and expertise of climate change adaptation to produce a regional strategy with a special focus on green and blue infrastructure in urban areas.

Mark Atherton, director of environment and energy at NWDA, said: "The many green and blue spaces within our urban areas can play an integral part in increasing our resilience to the effects of climate change. By improving our adaptation response to climate change, we can help reduce the damaging excesses of summer heat and increased risk of flooding. By working with regional planners and urban designers across Europe, GRaBs will facilitate a much needed exchange of knowledge and experience, whilst encouraging the actual transfer of good practice on climate change adaptation between local and regional authorities."

GRaBS is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and made possible by the Interreg IVC programme. The other seven member states within the network are Austria, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Slovakia and Sweden.