The LGA-UCL Net Zero Innovation Programme
The Net Zero Innovation Programme (NZIP) partners councils and academics to solve local climate problems together. Here’s our journey so far...
Partners: In the past two years, NZIP has worked with 24 partnerships from across England and a range of council and university types.
Space and time: Project teams were given the space and time to think, experiment and create interventions that really improve climate outcomes locally.
Partnership building: The programme was an opportunity to build partnerships that lead to real world outcomes and action for impact.
Sustained relationships: 11 out of 12 partners from year one continue to work together to accelerate local climate action as a result of being part of the programme.
Meaningful change: 100 per cent of participants agreed that being involved in the programme helped them to address the climate emergency in their area.
Tools: Partnerships developed solutions ranging from procurement tools to measure and reduce carbon emissions, to tools that support policy decision making in response to climate impacts on health. You can see all the projects developed through the programme by visiting our website.
Widespread learning: Partnerships are encouraged to continue to develop and share their learning to cascade impacts across councils.
NZIP explained
Councils are declaring climate emergencies. According to the United Nations, the world is warming. faster than at any point in recorded history.
Local councils want to find solutions to making areas carbon net zero by 2050. How do councils deliver on carbon reduction targets? Create and execute Climate Action Plans? Source funding, capacity and capability for change?
Universities also want to take action, and find evidence-based solutions. Yet, local policy engagement efforts are disjointed and poorly supported beyond the hyper-local. How can universities help?
Immediate, medium and long-term support is needed to connect councils and universities and scale-up solutions across local authorities.
The programme
This is where the LGA-UCL Net Zero Innovation Programme comes in. The programme works with councils and academics to solve local climate problems together. It does this by:
Riding in tandem: Inviting councils and universities to work together to identify a specific climate problem in their area.
Putting in the miles: Consolidating and scaling learning through producing a real-world project.
Wheels to keep riding: Offering mentorship and support throughout delivery to bolster its effectiveness and continue sustainable partnership building.
Overcoming rough terrain: Building capacity to work together equipping them with tools to address this problem and facilitate collaboration.
Pedalling further: Providing funding to tackle the issue and start delivering a scalable solution.