As world leaders discuss global climate action at the COP26 summit, Cheshire East Council’s leader, Cllr Sam Corcoran has urged the North-west to come together to take action on climate change.
The North-west is at the forefront of the green industrial revolution, with a number of key innovations to tackle climate change being spearheaded in Cheshire. A recent event in Runcorn, ‘Powering the Green Industrial Revolution’, showcased the region’s efforts to decarbonise energy, transport and business, such as through projects like HyNet, and how action on climate change was driving productivity gains in traditionally energy-intensive industries.
Cllr Sam Corcoran, leader of Cheshire East Council, said:
“As COP26 talks continue, the need for a collective effort to protect the future of the planet is taking centre stage.
“Climate change is the greatest challenge facing our generation. We must all think differently about how we operate in order to make the changes that are necessary to protect the future of the planet.
“As the leader of Cheshire East, it was an honour to join the panel at the regional COP26 event in Runcorn to highlight some of the great work that is happening in our borough and across the North West in our efforts to tackle the climate emergency.
“The event celebrated the progress made across the region so far in cutting carbon. Examples across the North West include the first large-scale hydrogen production plant in the UK and one of the first glass furnaces in the world planned to use hydrogen and green electricity. The North West is one of the first areas in the UK to put together a comprehensive decarbonisation investment plan.
“Here at Cheshire East, we are at the forefront of green energy technology, with our hydrogen refuelling station in Middlewich, the first of its kind in the North West, demonstrating how working together can develop innovative solutions to the use of fossil fuels, bringing carbon and air quality benefits to the borough.
“The legacy of COP26 will be to continue to work together across the region to effect radical change when it comes to the energy that drives our industries and keeps the North moving.”
Clare Hayward MBE, chair of the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership, said:
This event was our opportunity to send a clear message to international leaders that with the right investment our region can become the first in the UK to reach net zero, pioneering solutions that will help others across the world get there.
“We are at a critical moment as we look to create a better future for us all and we want all of Cheshire and Warrington to lead the way. Our vision is to be a world leader in net zero carbon energy technology and innovation and the first decarbonised industrial cluster in the world, putting us at the front of the UK’s drive to net zero and enabling us to act as a blueprint for others.
“While we can all individually play our part, it is by working together that we will make a real difference and the partnerships we have across Cheshire and Warrington and the wider North West can help us achieve our aims and ambitions.”
Photo: The Stanlow Manufacturing Plant in Ellesmere Port will be at the centre of hydrogen energy infrastructure in the North-west.
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