Agenda item

The Climate Commissioner submitted the undernoted report which provided an overview of the climate and environmental interventions contained within the Belfast Agenda. She stated that modification to the document. following a detailed consultation exercise, had resulted in a much greater emphasis on climate ambitions and emission targets, for the Council, and the city in general:

 

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of Main Issues

 

1.1       To provide members with an overview of the climate and environment interventions included within the Belfast Agenda ahead of the public consultation.

 

2.0       Recommendations

 

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

 

                                             I.        Note the climate and environment interventions included within the Belfast Agenda;

                                           II.        A further update will be provided to Members following the public consultation.

 

3.0       Main report

 

3.1       Background

 

            In the refreshed Belfast Agenda the environmental and climate considerations have been strengthened to reflect the feedback from the wide range of stakeholders that have been consulted. At the city level this work has been overseen by the Resilience and Sustainability Board as part of the wider community planning partnership. In particular the carbon targets adopted by Council last year have now been embedded in the city’s ambitions for 2035. Creating a sustainable nature-positive city is now one of the five main themes with three key priorities over the next four years:

 

1.      Re?naturing the city and improving the food system

2.      Creating a sustainable circular economy

3.      Innovating to Net Zero

 

3.2       Re?naturing the city and improving the food system

 

            Under this priority, there are three strategic intents:

 

·        Increase carbon capture and sequestration across Belfast, while reducing flood risk, enhancing biodiversity and improving the health of residents across the city through the One Million Trees project;

·        Develop a demonstrator site in Botanic Gardens to test nature-based solutions through the UPSURGE project to strengthen climate resilience;

·        Promote the uptake of nature-based solutions across the city to support climate resilience by integrating climate adaptation into strategic plans and urban agendas, by building adaptive capacity to deliver nature-based solutions, by scoping a city-wide regeneration programme to replace impermeable surfaces with green infrastructure, contributing to biodiversity and civic amenity, and by identifying funding opportunities to scale up nature-based solutions

 

3.3       Creating a sustainable circular economy

 

            Under this priority, there are six strategic intents:

 

1.      Enable the city to decarbonise at scale using the Belfast Local Area Energy Plan to develop a pipeline of investable local energy projects arising from the Local Area Energy Plan and identifying and responding to emerging funding and financing opportunities;

2.      Promote sustainable circular economy approaches through the Shared Island funded Circular Economy Feasibility and Business Case in partnership with Dublin City Council, the UP2030 project (which aims to embed net zero in urban planning) and by reducing the carbon / environmental impact of municipal waste;

3.      Promote a Just Transition to Net Zero in Belfast by addressing the social risks of the transition (eg. employment shifts, impact on supply chains etc.), identifying social opportunities and co-benefits of the transition and through meaningful dialogue, co- creation and participation in net zero planning through community planning structures and involvement of key community, business and other statutory partners;

4.      Increase the use of Electric Vehicles in Belfast and improve access to charge points through the Belfast EV Strategy;

5.      Reduce energy consumption (and bills) of housing and public /commercial buildings through the retrofit of buildings; and

6.      Decarbonise the heat supply to buildings in the city via a Heat Network and local energy projects.

 

3.4       Innovating to Net Zero

 

            Under this priority, there are five strategic intents:

 

1.      Develop a Net Zero Park on Queens Island as a stand-out global hub and testbed for innovating and investing in advanced green solutions for energy, transport and manufacturing;

2.      Develop a stable supply of green energy to the Net Zero Park and surrounding lands to support the industrial cluster by developing affordable sustainable energy supply, by creating a testbed for multiple green fuels, and by establishing a local hydrogen plant;

3.      Accelerate the transition to low carbon manufacturing by supporting industries to measure and manage their carbon footprints, by using smart design and digital twin assets to accelerate innovation, test new business models and enhance supply chain resilience;

4.      Support Green Multi-Modal Mobility by creating a living lab across Harbour estate to test new low carbon transport solutions, by supporting low carbon innovation in advanced air, maritime & road transport, and by establishing partnerships with maritime districts

5.      Expand an existing cluster of net zero technology companies to create a burgeoning GreenTech sector in NI and help realise the objectives of the Green Growth Strategy.

 

3.5       Climate and environmental considerations are also embedded throughout the other themes. For example, under housing led regeneration and the future city centre priorities. There is also a separate priority (under the Place theme) covering active and sustainable travel.

 

3.6       Next Steps

 

            The planned next steps to finalising the draft strategy document and action plans are as follows:

 

Early August 2023	Refreshed Belfast Agenda strategy document and Action Plans launched for consultation. EQIA and RNA consultation also commence
July – October 2023	Review of Belfast Agenda Governance arrangements, performance framework and co-design framework undertaken.
10 October 2023	Refreshed Belfast Agenda strategy document and action plan consultation ends
w/c 6 November 2023	Refreshed Belfast Agenda formally launched (date to be confirmed)

 

4.0       Financial and Resource Implications

 

4.1       There are no financial implications.

 

5.0             Equality or Good Relations Implications/

            Rural Needs Implications

 

5.1       An EQIA and RNA have been undertaken and will be consulted on for a period of 12 weeks.”

 

A Member highlighted the success in regard to the retrofit of Housing Executive properties in parts of the city. He enquired if funding could be sought from additional external sources, and raised concerns about the lack of a formal Housing Executive policy in regard to the installation of EV charging points attached to those residential properties. The Member referred to the ‘Access to the Hills’ and ‘Living With Water’ initiatives as positive developments in securing an improved green infrastructure for the city.

 

            In response, the Climate Commissioner reported that the Council was researching all potential funding streams, including development proposals to reduce flooding. She stated that the issue would be raised in regard to EV charging points with the Housing Executive. The Climate Commissioner reported that some work had been undertaken with the Department for Social Development, on a joint transition bond, which would allow the Housing Executive to borrow money on capital markets, subject to Ministerial approval.  She agreed to raise that issue with the Housing Executive and report back to the Committee.

 

            In response to a question from a Member in regard to the timeframe when individuals would be mandated to switch to electric vehicles, the Climate Commissioner reported that the sale of new combustible vehicles would not be permitted after 2030. The Member raised concerns in regard to the lack of drainage infrastructure to mitigate against flooding and how the community might have access to affordable green energy in development proposals for the Harbour Estate and other initiatives.

           

The Climate Commissioner confirmed that the Council had an EV strategy with targets specified with that strategy. In terms of flooding, she stated that Belfast had a preponderance of non-absorbent surfaces which required to be addressed by introducing more green spaces and tree planting throughout the city. In terms of the question in regard to the Harbour Estate’s green development proposals, the Climate Commissioner confirmed that, on the proviso that the Council was successful in securing phase 2 funding, social inclusion was a key part of the transition to a green infrastructure. She confirmed that Queen’s University Belfast, the Belfast Metropolitan College and Artemis were engaged in developing apprenticeships and community development plans as part of its green ambitions for the Harbour Estate.

 

            Members raised the issue of rewilding wards, within Belfast, as a potential positive development initiative and stressed the importance of securing community engagement for all green energy development proposals. The Climate Commissioner confirmed that the Council was at an early stage in its green energy development proposals, for the Harbour Estate, and reported that a community engagement plan was being developed currently.

 

                                                                                                                                           Noted.