Local action in South Tyneside responding to the climate emergency

Cllr Ernest Gibson, is Lead Member for Neighbourhoods and Climate Change at South Tyneside Council and Chair of the Local Government Association Coastal Special Interest Group. In this article, Cllr Gibson outlines their progress in achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. 

When we declared a climate emergency back in 2019 and pledged to do all we could to make the council carbon neutral by 2030, it was more than just empty words.

We were under no illusions that meeting this ambitious target would require rapid and transformative action.

And I’m really proud of how we took up that mantle, leading the way in climate, ecology and ocean recovery. As portfolio holder for climate change, this is something I feel passionate about and I’ve really championed our work in this area.

We’ve embraced innovation to embed sustainability into all our operations and succeeded in meeting our first interim target to cut emissions by 25% by 2023.

However, in common with most other local authorities, we are in danger of not achieving our 2030 net zero goal because of significant external barriers.

Global events such as the pandemic and international conflict have really impacted the cost and rollout of alternative technologies.

But we’ve used every opportunity to cut carbon emissions in our operations and increase our renewable capabilities.

Two groundbreaking renewable energy networks – including a UK-first – have collectively cut annual emissions by almost 1.400 tonnes, providing low carbon heat to council-owned buildings in Hebburn and Jarrow.

Housing stock has been made more energy efficient with double glazing, insulation and boilers upgrades and a sustainable social housing development in Boldon is utilising smart, low carbon technology.

This work has earned us awards – the Viking Energy Network Jarrow has scooped two prestigious accolades from APSE and the RICS, and our Hindmarch Drive ultra energy-efficient residential development is in the running for a Housing Innovation award.

Solar panels have been installed on 36 council buildings and 87 per cent of the borough’s street lighting has been upgraded to energy efficient LEDs, halving the amount of electricity used. The Council has implemented measures through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme such as energy efficient ground- and air-source heat pumps, replacing gas fired boilers across civic buildings, schools and leisure facilities.

We’re also driving behaviour change in our communities, leading by example and developing climate change toolkits for the borough’s schools and businesses.

Our work has cemented our position at the heart of the green economy. We have unrivalled clean power assets. We are also home to the International Advanced Manufacturing Park, where a gigafactory for Nissan electric vehicles is being built; the globally-recognised South Shields Marine School and the UK’s Maritime Innovation Hub, Equinor’s base at the Port of Tyne, which serves the world’s largest offshore wind farm.

Our commitment to tacking climate change is undisputed, yet current data indicates that we are unlikely to achieve our next interim target of a 50% reduction by March 2025, which equates to 8,570 tonnes.

We’re not alone in this. Research carried out by the Local Government Association earlier this year revealed that two thirds of councils are not confident they will hit their net zero targets in the timescales specified.

We will convene a cross-party members group to consider next steps, and we’ll also deliver a Climate Change Summit in Spring 2025 which will bring together internal and external partners to share ideas to help shape a refreshed Sustainable South Tyneside Strategy, which is due in 2025. We know we need to deliver climate resilience across the board, including our buildings, the natural environment and infrastructure, which will require significant investment. So, a key area of focus of the Summit will be on starting our Green Finance journey. We will also be looking to build delivery partnerships helping to amplify our activity and achieve common goals.

The North East Combined Authority has set Net Zero as a cross-cutting theme across its seven portfolios and is committed to delivering green jobs, a joined-up public transport network and building the most sustainable homes in the UK. We will continue to work together across the region to identify opportunities around innovative renewable technologies.

Our ambition and passion has meant that as a council, we have – and will continue to – unlock opportunities for decarbonisation.

With the right targeted support from Government, we can drive transformative change and maximise the opportunities from a green economy.

We need robust policies and increased financial support and investment to support our journey towards net zero and cleaner, more secure energy sources.

We have a huge task ahead of us and we will work with partners across the region and the country to ensure our strategy and ambitions align towards our common goal of net zero.