The report of the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer is attached.

An update on work to address climate change was considered. The Council’s key leadership role had resulted in the establishment of the city’s partnership-based approach to climate action. That had started with the creation of the “Manchester: A Certain Future Steering Group” in 2010. The approach recognised the need for everyone in the city to be mobilised to play their full part in tackling climate change. Since then the city has been using to the science to inform and develop the city’s climate change strategy.

In February 2008 we approved “17 Principles of Tackling Climate Change in Manchester” and committed the city to becoming low carbon by 2020 (Minute Exe/08/27). In January 2009 we had gone on to adopt the “Call to Action” that sought to inspire and enable stakeholders to become fully engaged in the need to undertake mainstream activities in different ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions (Minute Exe/09/4). In February 2014 we had approved the Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) for 2014/15 to 2016/17 (Minute Exe/14/22). In 2015 that plan was extended to run until 2017/18 (Minute Exe/15/034). In November 2018 we had adopted, on behalf of the city, the Tyndall Centre’s proposed targets and definition of zero carbon. We also committed to developing a draft action plan by March 2019, and a final detailed plan by March 2020, setting out how the city will ensure that it stays within the proposed carbon budget (Minute Exe/18/101). In July 2019 the Council then declared a climate emergency (Minute CC/19/52) which was considered and accepted by the Executive later that month (Minute Exe/19/59).

The target to reduce Manchester’s CO₂ emissions by 41% by 2020, from 2005 levels, was based on recommendations by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Manchester (the Tyndall Centre). In June 2018 Manchester Climate Change Agency and the Manchester Climate Change Partnership had commissioned the Tyndall Centre to recommend targets to further define the city’s commitment to ‘play its full part in limiting the impacts of climate change’, as set out in the Our Manchester Strategy. The Tyndall Centre’s report was due on 28 February 2020 but work to date had identified the following draft recommendations:

·         Retain the existing 15 million tonne CO₂ carbon budget for 2018-2100

·         Note that the updated carbon budget approach based on the latest scientific synthesis report by the IPCC would allow an increase in the carbon budget to 18 million tonnes CO₂ but that by retaining the 15 million tonne budget showed ambition and leadership

·         Focus on immediate action to achieve a minimum reduction rate of 13% per annum and meeting interim (five-year) carbon budgets

·         Note that if the city did not reduce emissions by 13% per annum, an increased rate will be required from 2020 in order to stay within budget.

·         Carbon budgets should be revisited in five years or in response to a new scientific synthesis report.

The Tyndall Centre had also been commissioned to examine and report on carbon emissions from aviation. To date that had identified the following areas for Manchester to consider:

·         To note that aircraft emissions could not be overlooked – additional action is required to meet the Paris Agreement ‘well below 2^oC’ commitment

·         UK aviation emissions needed to fit within a Paris-compliant national pathway. Noting that the Tyndall Centre’s recommended carbon budget includes 1,262 million tonnes CO₂ for aviation from 2018-2100, versus 1,705 million tonnes based on current UK Government policy forecasts.

·         Survey data made it possible to monitor and report Manchester residents’ flights from UK airports, including from Manchester Airport

·         A method for monitoring and reporting flights taken by Manchester businesses could be developed. To be aware of potential double counting with residents’ flights.

·         Manchester City Council and Manchester Airport should work with UK Government to ensure a Paris-compliant aviation strategy for the UK as technological change alone was not sufficient.

·         Could Manchester Airport become a pioneer organisation (as part of the Manchester Climate Change Partnership) for managing the impact of its ground operations?

The final Tyndall Centre report on aviation was to be completed by 21 February 2020.

Manchester Climate Change Framework 2020-25 was being produced by the Manchester Climate Change Partnership and Agency to set out their recommended approach for Manchester to meet its targets. Since the publication in February 2019 of the Draft Manchester Zero Carbon Framework 2020-38, there had been three key developments:

·         The review of emissions targets

·         the Partnership and Agency had chosen to focus on the next five years, 2020-25, seeking to emphasise the point that urgent action was needed

·         Adaptation and resilience to the changing climate had been identified as an additional objective, broadening the scope of the Framework from carbon reduction

The final version of the Framework was in development and was to be published by the Partnership and Agency on 28 February 2020. It would be considered at the next meeting of the Executive in March 2020.

Decision

To note the citywide progress and the summary of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research review of targets.