Exeter City Futures has launched the ‘Plan for a Net Zero Exeter’ for how Exeter could become carbon neutral by 2030. People, businesses, and institutions from across the city have been included in the development of the strategy. Unlike many other cities with similar goals, Exeter is the only city to create a collaborative governance structure that acts as a “City Office” to help deliver its carbon-neutral ambitions as a coordinated city.
Exeter City Future’s strategy to deliver a carbon neutral Exeter looks across the infrastructure of the city as a whole. This includes an in-depth look at how the city can create reliable journeys and resilient roads; renewable energy access for everyone; clean air for Exeter; collective action; affordable healthy homes for everyone; an analytical approach; how we can reduce the dominance of cars; reduce energy consumption; green spaces and local produce; locally controlled finance; efficient resource management and regenerative design.
This is the first iteration of the Net Zero Exeter Plan, curated through extensive engagement across the city, and is intended to be in constant review. It will be refreshed towards the end of 2020 to reflect on the position of the city as a result of the coronavirus, and then annually as the city begins to mobilise projects and action that feed into Exeter’s carbon ambitions. Some of the key findings of the plan include that if businesses in Exeter were provided with carbon reduction resources, more than 34,000 tonnes of carbon a year would be saved; 53,000 tonnes of carbon would be saved if 100% of Exeter’s electricity was generated from clean sources; 140,000 tonnes of carbon would be saved if Exeter were to exploit the maximum potential for renewable generation (solar, wind, geothermal).
Exeter City Futures will continue to listen to people regarding the plan in light of the current climate. With the nation in lockdown, Exeter City Futures will be working over the next few months to develop ways in which people, whether as individuals, or as representatives of businesses, clubs, communities or institutions, can continue to play their part in the city’s ambition to become net zero.
Net Zero Exeter Open Conversations
Exeter City Futures team is launching the first of a series of conversations about Net Zero Exeter online, providing an introduction to the roadmap and allowing people to take part in discussions on how we can make Exeter carbon neutral by 2030.
While the launch of this document was due to take place at the Net Zero Exeter Mobilisation Summit, which had to be postponed as a result of COVID-19, Exeter City Futures has kept to its commitment to producing the plan and has now presented it to the City Council.
About Exeter City Futures
Exeter City Futures’ is an independent community interest company (ECF CIC) working collaboratively with the city to help Exeter become carbon neutral by 2030. ECF CIC is working to achieve this through its mission: to bring Exeter’s businesses, individuals, communities and leaders together and provide the coordination and focus needed to deliver the city’s carbon ambitions.
To find out more about ECF, please visit: