Industries and other businesses, pressure groups as well as individuals now have a chance to influence the Net Zero project and therefore the future of our area – and Stockton North MP Alex Cunningham wants them to seize that chance.
Net Zero Teesside is an ambitious initiative which aims to create the UK’s first decarbonised industrial cluster. The project is being developed by a consortium of five international oil companies; bp, Eni, Equinor, Shell and Total, with bp leading as operator. As we look beyond this health crisis, Net Zero Teesside offers the opportunity to pioneer carbon capture and storage. This will help the UK meet its 2050 net zero emissions target.
Stage 2 public consultation on Net Zero Teesside are set to begin next week on 30th June, running up until 29th September. Due the impact of Covid-19 on the feasibility of running public consultation, Net Zero Teesside have introduced the following measures to ensure an extensive consultation goes ahead and people are given ample opportunity to comment. These are:
• Mailing the Statement of Community Consultation (SoCC) and information leaflet to all constituents in the statutory consultation area (please see enclosed information leaflet)
• Mailing a freepost feedback form
• Radio advertising and promotion
• Providing a freephone line for constituents to ring with questions or feedback, which will be staffed 10am till 4pm, Monday to Friday
• Operating a dedicated email address for enquiries from Teesside residents: consultation@netzeroteesside.com
Site preparation and survey work for the project is beginning in 2020. It will play a major role in the UK’s green recovery and will generate huge direct economic benefits for the Tees Valley including safeguarding many local manufacturing jobs and encouraging new high-value contracts to be awarded to local suppliers. This will help construct a new low-carbon supply chain across the North of England.
As chair of the APPG on Carbon Capture and Storage, Alex says:
“Many of us have campaigned in this area for the last 10 years and I’m pleased to see this project start to take shape. Since setting up the All Party Parliamentary Group on Carbon Capture and Storage in 2015, it’s an issue I continue to passionately campaign particularly on. CCS will play a vital component of achieving net zero emissions. It’ll play a key part in tackling climate change as well offering excellent job creation here on Teesside.”
“As the consultation starts, it would be great to see as many people as possible take part.”
“Recent research shows this project could support up to 4,500 direct jobs between 2023-2028 while Carbon Capture and Storage could safeguard up to 70% of existing manufacturing jobs in the area. With this, Teesside can be a key player in the post-coronavirus economic recovery and its essential that everyone gets behind it.”