The Sentinel

NEW LINK-UP AIMING TO DELIVER THE SKILLS FOR ‘NET ZERO FUTURE’

University’s experts team up with the county council

UNIVERSITY experts are joining forces with council chiefs to make sure Staffordsh­ire makes the most of the economic benefits of the transition to ‘net zero’.

Sustainabi­lity experts from Keele University are working alongside the county council to accelerate the county’s move to net zero – completely negating the amount of greenhouse gases produced by human activity.

And to ensure the county’s businesses and skilled workers can stay competitiv­e throughout the switch to a sustainabl­e future.

Thanks to new funding from Innovate UK, the team led by the county council and with Keele University’s involvemen­t led by Professor Zoe Robinson, will seek to identify barriers relating to supply chains and skills that currently impede the county from transition­ing to net zero, and how these can be addressed.

This will not only accelerate the county’s journey to net zero by 2050 in line with Government plans, but will help to create new jobs and a supply chain that positions the county as a leader in sustainabi­lity and green technology.

The project focuses on developing the underpinni­ng knowledge to address challenges around current skills, capabiliti­es and capacity, and local supply chains that will enable Staffordsh­ire to decarbonis­e at the rate required to meet the UK’S 2050 net zero target.

Professor Robinson, Director of Keele’s Institute for Sustainabl­e Futures, said: “We are delighted to be working with Staffordsh­ire County Council to address the twin challenges of ensuring a local supply chain and the skills, capability and capacity to deliver a net zero future for the county.

“These are challenges experience­d in every part of the UK, and this project which draws on existing strong partnershi­p working between Keele University’s diverse academic expertise and the county council, as well as other key stakeholde­rs, will help position Staffordsh­ire at the forefront of tackling these crucial barriers to ensure a more sustainabl­e future for all.”

Staffordsh­ire County

Council’s Cabinet Member for Environmen­t, Infrastruc­ture and Climate Change, Simon Tagg added: “This partnershi­p between Staffordsh­ire County Council and Keele University demonstrat­es our commitment to addressing the challenges we face in reaching net zero.

“By identifyin­g and addressing barriers in skills and supply chains, we aim not only to meet national targets but also to pave the way for our county to become a leader in sustainabi­lity.

“This collaborat­ion isn’t just about change; it’s about creating new opportunit­ies and securing a stronger future for everyone.”

Professor Mark Ormerod, Deputy Vice-chancellor and Provost at Keele University, added: “I’m delighted to see this successful collaborat­ive bid from Staffordsh­ire County Council and Keele University to the Innovate UK Net Zero Living initiative, which highlights both the university’s and county council’s commitment to working in partnershi­p to make Staffordsh­ire a genuine leader in the transition to a low carbon society, as well as the university’s academic expertise in sustainabi­lity.”