Springboard to achieving new environmental vision for Greater Manchester agreed

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester and Alex Ganotis, GMCA lead for Green City Region launch the Springboard Report

Ambitious plans to make Greater Manchester one of the leading green city-regions in the UK and Europe have been approved.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, and local leaders, are aiming to bring Greater Manchester’s date for achieving carbon neutrality forward by at least a decade to 2038. This a globally leading standard, and based on a science-based approach.

Mayor Burnham, said: “Greater Manchester was at the heart of the industrial revolution, a leading contributor of green-house gases. The city led the computer revolution which changed our lives. Now we are leading the low carbon revolution which will form the next chapter of how we live, work and travel.

"The science is clear on the steps we need to take to become carbon neutral, and some of these are very challenging, but our ambitions are high, and we need communities and businesses to work with us to make this happen.”

“Our vision will not only make us a global leader for smart energy innovation but will transform Greater Manchester into a world-leading greener, cleaner city region, improving the health and quality of life for millions of people and protecting our green spaces and environment for future generations.”

Greater Manchester is the first UK city-region to devise both globally leading and science-based plans to becoming carbon neutral; reducing carbon emissions to tackle climate change and making its fair contribution to keeping global average temperature change below 2°C.

Following on from the inaugural Greater Manchester Green Summit in March, the Springboard Report is an action plan that takes on board feedback from its 600 delegates as well as over 1,200 individuals who attended listening events leading up to it and sets out the first steps that will taken this year.

A number of online workstreams will also be set up to work with others to develop detailed delivery and investment proposals, focussing on buildings efficiency and energy generation, over the next year.

This will all come together to define a five-year plan to be agreed at the next Green Summit on 25 March 2019.

Alex Ganotis, GMCA Green City region lead, said: “It is clear that the sooner we start making these changes the sooner we can start to see the rewards. The Springboard report is the catalyst to this in the first year.”

“It is clear that these ambitious plans can only be achieved if we work together to deliver them.”