Building a successful, sustainable and green European city

Peter North, University of Liverpool

Climate change ….still there

• Europe’s worst cold snap in quarter of a century

• Warmest 12-month period for continental U.S.

• Worst Drought in Northeast Brazil in 50 Years

• Arctic sea ice shrinks to lowest extent ever

• Records widely seen as strong signals of long-term climate warming.

The key message• 'The choice between going green and going for growth is a

false one. Green and growth do go together, and the statistics back this up'

• John Cridland, CBI Director-General

• Our low carbon and environmental sector has shown that it’s not just for the good times, but that it has continued to grow steadily even whilst broader economic activity slows.

• Green Alliance

• “Projects that not only create a more environmentally sustainable New York, also make our City more liveable, more attractive, more exciting, and more economically competitive”

• New York Mayor, Mike Bloomberg

The Low Carbon Economy on Merseyside

• One of the LEP’s four strategic drivers• 400 Companies• Employing 8,700 people• £1 billion and Gross Value Added (GVA) of

£435 million in our economy (2.4% of Liverpool City Region)

• 15,000 jobs predicted to be created• Supports entrepreneurship and SMEs.

Low Carbon Liverpool

• Funded by the ESRC, University, Liverpool Chamber,

Groundwork & Liverpool Vision• Exploring low carbon transitions

- what policies are needed to combine economic success and avoid dangerous climate change?

• Support SMEs and social enterprises, and social inclusion

• Promote partnership working

“running a business is different now in the sense that you could budget for plant and equipment to improve your efficiency or to change a product or to just make sure the business stays competitive and profitable, and I don’t think anybody who’s running a business argues with that. They're gonna do it one way or the other.

But what I think now is that most companies should also factor in as part of their expenditure is what they can afford to spend on reducing their impact on the environment. Obviously some of this is down to legislation and people have to do things, but some of it really is up to the individuals to get off their bottoms and do something.”

What businesses told us

Low Carbon Liverpool – Key Findings• Successful cities are those which combine a clear

vision with strong and focussed leadership – to achieve this we need to be clear about ‘what we need to do’ and ‘who is responsible for what’

• When making economic policy, we need to understand the long term implications of climate change and resource depletion for the economy.

• Make emissions reduction a key policy objective. • Change to low carbon can provides best means of job

creation –for those who have lost out so far.

Low Carbon Liverpool – Key Findings

• Ensure the city’s local economic development drivers (knowledge, visitors, super port, ETS sector) are all low carbon.

• Develop a suite of economic indicators to balance GVA: explore sustainable economic wealth, happiness, forms of entrepreneurship.

• Develop Energy Descent Pathways for the city.• Develop a Green Partnership to take this

forward – and explore feasibility of a bid to be European Green Capital.

The (proposed) Green Partnership

• Multi agency partnership – public, private and community sectors all crucial

• Facilitate development of the low carbon economy in support of the Mayor and LEP

• Build on changed perceptions of the city• European Green Capital bid as catalyst to

faster/further meaningful change• Chamber at centre of this project, but also …………… we need your input

The Liverpool Green Partnership

Green Partnership – Tasks(?)The objectives of the Green Partnership are to set out and galvanise support for a sustainable vision of Liverpool, and to explore the feasibility of bidding to become a European Green Capital.

Potential objectives: a.Co-ordinate strategic direction and ensure delivery in relevant areas supports the achievement of the overarching vision, ensuring it achieves collectively more than the sum of its parts.b.Support the Mayor and the city region LEP to deliver a sustainable cityc.Advise, lobby and hold to account major stakeholdersd.Organise events, debates and meetings to develop a deep understanding of the issues, and to facilitate the involvement of the public, private and community sectors in the process to ensure that the transition to a low carbon economy is meaningful.e.Engage with people who live in, work in and visit the city via the activities of its membersf.Work in partnership with support agencies to enable organisations within the city to develop and deliver continuous improvements in resource efficiency

European Green Capital• Economically successful cities are sustainable cities.• We need the right sort of growth – that does not cost the

earth – and avoid the problems of past Indian summers • Cities need to develop productive resilient local economies• A high quality environment and quality of life is essential to

attract talent to visit, study and stay in the city, and to create new jobs and businesses.

• Being seen as green, smart and sustainable is essential to the brand of any future competitive city

• European Green Capital brand puts a city ‘on the map’• You don’t need to be perfect – but serious in intent.• Stockholm, Hamburg, Vitoria, Nantes, Copenhagen …

What would be the benefit?

• What matters is the journey, not the bidding• Catalysing and focussing on a shared vision and

objectives• Auditing: what are we good/bad at?• Rectifying what we are bad at• Telling our story about what we are good at.• Showing how far we have come.• Engaging our communities and businesses.• Securing our future.

Advice - Greening European Cities• Don’t make promises you can’t keep – any

strategy should be based on realistic, achievable outcomes

• Avoid ‘greenwash’ at all costs.

• Emphasise real, workable solutions.

Greening European Cities –Advice

• Make sure that you have several concrete examples in place before showcasing your city – things that people can touch and see, with a story, costs and benefits

• Make sure you take citizens with you – this isn’t a project for elites. Engage with schools/young people. Start a conversation with your city.

• People don’t always see/realise their own success – be critical, but never negative about progress

There is a lot going on ….• Mayoral Development Corporation /

Environmental Technology Zone• Strong FE and HE facilities• Renewable Energy Hub, L8 and Smart Cities• Legacy of community enthusiasm for Capital of

Culture, and sense that it captured the change• Enthusiasm today - Green Ambassadors• ‘Look how far we have come’ …..• But Liverpool does not yet sell itself as green city

How Liverpool got its Mojo back

“It’s like Liverpool winning the Champion’s League,

Everton winning the Double and the Beatles

reforming all on the same day – and Steven

Spielberg coming to make a Hollywood blockbuster

about it.”

Questions for discussion

• What is your initial response to what you have heard?• What would make a successful Green Partnership?• What good things are you already involved with or know

about?• Who else needs to be involved? • What are the main barriers to success?• What can you and your organisation contribute and

would be willing to be involved with?• Can and should Liverpool bid to be a Green Capital?