皇家华人

A team from UCL is working with Greater Manchester on a new approach to help the area become carbon-neutral by 2038 鈥� 12 years ahead of the UK 鈥� which could be implemented by other cities worldwide.

Cities are听centres of听infrastructure, industrialisation and innovation, but much of that activity听is responsible for听high levels of carbon emissions. Globally,听36% of carbon emissions globally come from buildings, and 2.5 billion people will have moved into urban areas by 2050.听听

鈥淲hile听cities around the world are increasingly aware of their pivotal role in the climate emergency,听they have not been able to implement effective听systems-level clean growth strategies听to increase economic growth while听reducing emissions,鈥澨齭ays Martha McPherson, (UCL Institute for Innovation听&听Public Purpose, IIPP).听

The听IIPP鈥檚听Practice-based Learning in Cities for Climate Action (PELICAN) project听is听working closely with听Greater Manchester听on the development of a听鈥榤ission-oriented听innovation鈥櫶齛pproach to听the area鈥檚听target听of听achieving carbon neutrality by 2038.听In 2018,听Greater Manchester held its first Green Summit, which gathered opinions from residents and businesses on the听area鈥檚 environmental priorities.

鈥�鈥淲hile cities around the world are increasingly aware of their pivotal role in the climate emergency, they have not been able to implement strategies to increase economic growth while reducing emissions.鈥澨�听

PELICAN worked with Greater Manchester to develop a roadmap and technical report听to achieve the mission, and brought together sectors as diverse as manufacturing, digital and education, to work on carefully designed 鈥榤ission projects鈥�. The听mission-making听process听moved towards the citizen-centred听wording of听achieving听鈥榗arbon neutral living鈥� in the region by 2038.听This听mission听was subsequently embedded in the region鈥檚 Local Industrial Strategy.听

鈥淥ur new approach moves away from 鈥榲ertical鈥� sector-led investment, or 鈥榟orizontal鈥� skills-led approaches,鈥� explains Martha McPherson (UCL听IIPP). 鈥淚nstead,听it aims听for bold, measurable, bottom-up missions听that set long-term policy direction, but which are achieved through听cross-sectoral partnerships and experimentation.鈥澨�

Through听the听Greater Manchester听initiative,听the听IIPP team听hopes听to better understand听how听mission-oriented innovation听approaches听can move cities听towards carbon neutrality听and city-level听green economic growth.听听

Its听learnings will be shared with other cities, innovation systems and organisations interested in mission-oriented innovation around the world.听听