The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) is calling for written
evidence submissions on the recently published report by the
National Audit Office (NAO) on Local government and net
zero.
The NAO’s analysis followed an EAC request to examine how
effectively central Government and local authorities are
collaborating on actions to achieve net zero outcomes. Local
authority responsibilities in England range from transport to
planning, and from social housing to waste disposal, activities
which generate a substantial proportion of the UK’s current
emissions.
The NAO report has highlighted that a lack of funding, and poor
communication to and from the centre, are two issues which are
hindering local authorities wishing to play their full part in
reaching net zero.
The EAC is interested in exploring the issues raised by the NAO
report in greater detail, examining the role local authorities
should play in reaching net zero, the funding and resources
currently available to them, and how central Government is
co-ordinating its engagement with local Government on the UK’s
target to reach net zero by 2050.
Environmental Audit Committee Chairman, , said:
“I warmly welcome this excellent analysis from the National Audit
Office, which they have produced following a recommendation from
the Environmental Audit Committee. It complements the really
important work the NAO continues to do in identifying the net
zero challenges across central government, and supports EAC’s own
work on mapping the country’s path to net zero.
“Local authorities will have a huge role to play in delivering
Net Zero Britain. This inquiry seeks to understand how they are
preparing to deliver their own Net Zero commitments, especially
the 230 that have declared a Climate Emergency. I hope local
authorities will bring examples of the approaches they are taking
to the Committee’s attention so that this inquiry can help spread
best practice. We all need to work together in this common
endeavour to help decarbonise our local economy.”
The evidence collected in this call will inform much of a one-off
evidence session being held on Wednesday 8 September, with
further details being announced in due course. This call for
evidence and evidence session forms part of the EAC’s umbrella
workstream on Mapping the path to
net zero.
Terms of reference
The Committee is inviting written submissions
to inform its forthcoming evidence session by 5pm on Thursday 26
August. These should focus on, but need not be limited to, the
following issues raised in the NAO report:
- What should local authorities’ roles and responsibilities in
reaching net zero by 2050 be? How clear are the expectations
about the role of local authorities?
- What are the priorities for change or clarification to align
the national planning framework with net zero?
- What will need to be in place to ensure that the UK
infrastructure bank loans to local authorities for net zero work
are as effective as possible?
- What funding and resources are available for local authority
work on net zero, and what are the priorities for improving local
authority funding?
- What should government’s analysis of net zero funding to
local authorities focus on in the next Spending Review?
- How is central government co-ordinating its engagement with
local government on net zero?
- What role can local community groups play in helping local
authorities achieve their net zero ambitions?
Further information:
Committee membership is as follows: Rt Hon
MP, Chairman (Con, Ludlow), (Con, North Norfolk), (Lab, Liverpool, Walton),
MP (Con,
Christchurch), (Lab, Brent North), Rt Hon MP (Con, Scarborough and Whitby), (Con, North Wiltshire), (Lab, Dulwich and West Norwood), (Con, Blyth
Valley), (Green, Brighton Pavilion), (Con,
Truro and Falmouth), (Con, Broadland), (SNP,
Falkirk), Dr (Con, Hendon), (Ind, Leicester East), (Lab, Nottingham East).
