Our path to a greener future: Labour's climate commitment and Zero Carbon Harrogate’s role

So, first off, let’s catch up to speed; what did climate action charity, Zero Carbon Harrogate do in the lead up to the General Election?

We held a lively hustings centered on climate change and nature, which allowed the public to better understand where each Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency candidate stood on environmental issues; while in a more intimate setting, we filmed individual conversations with those standing, which we then shared online for anyone to view, pressing on key issues across transport, energy, and housing. Both efforts provided a platform for dialogue and engagement and gave residents broad access to their (at the time) prospective MP’s thoughts on decarbonisation, helping people to make an informed decision come voting day.

Skipping ahead, and Labour is now in power. The new government has already outlined ambitious plans, aiming to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. According to the Climate Change Committee (CCC), considerable progress is needed to meet these targets, so will Labour's strategies be enough?

One welcome step has been the appointment of Chris Stark, a climate expert and formerly head of the CCC, who has been chosen to lead the UK's clean energy taskforce. Stark’s expertise and dedication to climate action promise a strong push towards renewable energy and carbon reduction. In a Guardian article, he stated, "Our goal is to create a sustainable, clean energy future for the UK, and we are committed to making it happen."

But what about Yorkshire? We need increased support for renewable energy projects and sustainable practices across various sectors, and hope that local authorities will want to support community initiatives that would reduce carbon footprints, such as upskilling tradespeople to carry out retrofitting work and improving public transport services, not just in terms of emissions, but also level of service so that people are confident using them.

ZCH will continue to advocate for these changes by supporting relevant initiatives, such as promoting the LEAD home energy assessment scheme in collaboration with North Yorkshire Council, pushing the Car Free Fridays campaign alongside The Harrogate Bus Company, and by working with the Mayor for York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith, in addition to our new MP for the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency; Liberal Democrat Tom Gordon.

Of course, Tom has a significant part to play in his new role as well; his local leadership will be vital in ensuring that our region contributes positively to the national climate agenda.

During our hustings, he made it clear that he supports an integrated transport system, ending subsidies for fossil fuel companies and said that “climate change is at the heart of [the Liberal Democrats’] industrial strategy.” So, we expect him to champion local climate initiatives and push for robust policies nationally – and we have the footage, so we can hold him to account for these comments!

Looking ahead, the Labour government’s climate policies show promise; their focus on renewable energy and green technology is encouraging but we need concrete steps to achieve their ambitious goals. The implementation will be crucial in defining the real impacts, and any green infrastructure will need a great deal of financing, so we’ll be keeping a close eye on any promises made.

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Zero Carbon Harrogate is a local charity dedicated to reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable practices within our community.