Organisers behind Hull’s Oh Yes! Net Zero campaign have presented their climate model amongst international contemporaries at a major conference in Spain.
Ahead of this week’s COP29 gathering, members of the campaign joined delegates from the C40 Cities organisation – a global network of almost 100 cities united to confront the climate crisis – at Smart City Expo in Barcelona. The event is said to be the world’s largest forum for smart city innovation and this year featured 25,000 attendees from 850-plus cities across the world and 600 speakers including Government leaders.
Hull’s climate model was established in 2022 by global health and hygiene products maker Reckitt, Hull City Council, the University of Hull and place marketing organisation Future Humber. It was showcased to Smart City Expo attendees as an example of a business-led strategy to reduce carbon emissions.
The campaign was represented by project manager Steve Hill and Peter Edwards, Reckitt’s global public policy and stakeholder management director. They talked of Hull’s success as a City Business Climate Alliance (CBCA) which is working to reduce environmental impact.
Mr Hill said: “By adopting a place-based approach which brings together businesses large and small, Oh Yes! Net Zero has been identified as a globally significant model of how organisations can work together to reduce their carbon footprint. We know that, for many businesses, getting started on the route to net zero can be a major hurdle to overcome. Through knowledge sharing and collaboration, we’ve helped dozens of companies create and implement effective carbon reduction plans.
“We were excited to share what has already been achieved through Oh Yes! Net Zero, and our learnings from both the successes and challenges faced by members, at Smart City Expo in Barcelona. In sharing Oh Yes! Net Zero’s story, we hope to help other cities and places across the world on their own paths to net zero.”
Oh Yes! Net Zero organisers say it has driven significant investment into net zero projects, partnerships and skills since its inception two years ago. The campaign now has more than 150 members across Hull and East Yorkshire, including seven of Hull’s 10 largest businesses.
It hopes to get half of its members to have a carbon reduction plan in place and runs carbon clinics where businesses can discuss net zero initiatives and their successes and challenges. Small businesses are offered a calendar of events and activities with climate experts and the campaign is working with schools across Hull through its Climate Changemakers programme.
Mark Watts, executive director of C40 Cities, said: “Whether it’s supporting net zero in Hull, training SMEs in Lisbon, or protecting people from extreme heat in Buenos Aires, we have seen the positive impact public-private partnerships can have around the world. More private businesses must now step up and invest time, money and effort into protecting and enhancing the communities they call home.”
Original artice – https://business-live.co.uk/all-about/yorkshire-humber
