In a joint statement following the East Coast Cluster bid that was submitted by the Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP) on Friday 9 July, which will decarbonise the industrial clusters of both Teesside (Net Zero Teesside) and the Humber (Zero Carbon Humber) in response to the Governments carbon capture and storage (CCUS) cluster sequencing process, Stockton North MP Alex Cunningham and Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald, said:
We are 100 per cent behind the East Coast Cluster bid, which is one of the biggest and most ambitious cluster plans being submitted for the Government’s consideration. As we said to the Northern Endurance Partnership this morning, we will do all we can to support the bid and lobby the Government to support it.
We’ve long campaigned for Teesside to be the home of one of the first Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage – with Alex setting up the All Party Parliamentary Group to promote this in Westminster and beyond. We’ve had too many delays from Ministers and we’re calling on the Government to approve this bid ahead of the COP26 and show that is serious about decarbonisation.
Not only will this bid make huge inroads in cutting emissions but the construction, steel production and manufacturing opportunities have the potential to great hundreds of well paid, good quality jobs here on Teesside. We will also champion the need to make sure local people benefit from these jobs and opportunities, and will work with the industry and trade unions to ensure this happens.
We can’t stress enough how important this bid is for the local area and call on the Government to back this bid.
