Manchester is scheduled to fall well short of its target for reducing carbon emissions according to a report out from its monitoring group.
Manchester, a Certain Future (MACF) have issued a half time report on the region’s drastic plans, first announced in 2009 to cut its carbon emissions by 41 per cent by 2020 and 80 per cent by 2050.
This week’s report suggests that if power sector emissions continue to fall
at the same general rate as they have since 2005, and the city continues to consume the same amount of energy without making further reductions, it will only achieve a 27 per cent reduction by 2020.
It blames the impact of national policy in switching electric production from gas to coal as being the main reason for the failing and urges the importance of energy efficiency and decarbonisation and
the need to move away from fossil fuels to low carbon sources of energy.
It welcomed the news that over the period from 2005 to 2012, Manchester’s population grew by 10 per cent, yet electricity consumption remained fairly constant and gas consumption fell by a quarter and the apparent decoupling of energy consumption from population growth.
The report is the first time since it was established in 2010, that MACF has published an Annual Report and its chairman Gavin Elliot says that Manchester is committed to action against climate change adding that a huge effort will be required from people and businesses to transform their behaviour.
Very useful update. Shows challenges. Rising population and energy switching. Still more is possible esp w homes and buildings. Think Manchester is just starting this journey. Thank you.
Andrew