The urgency of climate action has placed decarbonisation at the forefront of regional and national policy agendas. In Cumbria, the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership (ZCCP), its partners and other stakeholders play a key role in driving local decarbonisation efforts.
However, the extent to which they can influence policy and practice remains an area requiring further exploration. Understanding the pathways to effective policy influence can enable better alignment between local actions and broader climate goals, ensuring that Cumbria contributes effectively to national net-zero ambitions.
Achieving real progress hinges on policy shifts that support Cumbria’s 2037 net-zero target. To overcome persistent challenges and drive decarbonisation forward, a deeper understanding of key barriers and opportunities for influencing policy is essential.
This project will explore four critical areas to identify what is needed to unlock scalable solutions and transformation through policy and action, resulting in clear recommendations to strengthen Cumbria’s ability to accelerate meaningful decarbonisation efforts. Each of the four work packages will produce a policy and practice briefing document with clear recommendations reflecting Cumbria’s needs and ability to deliver the 2037 target:
1. Funding & Resourcing Decarbonisation: How do we finance the full scale of decarbonisation in Cumbria?
2. Decarbonisation Data Aggregation & Evaluation: How do we optimise evaluation of decarbonisation impacts to secure long-term policy commitments?
3. Influencing Decarbonisation Policy & Practice: How can we effectively influence decarbonisation policy and practice at local, regional, and national levels?
4. Strengthening Decarbonisation Action by Cumbria’s Civil Society: How can we enhance the engagement and participation of Cumbria’s civil society in enabling and strengthening decarbonisation action across Cumbria?
Together these briefing papers will provide a framework for identifying levers for policy change at local, regional, and national levels.
The project is supported by Research England’s Policy Support Fund which has allocated funding to the University of Cumbria with the aim of linking effectively with policy research priorities and opportunities. The funding supports universities in undertaking research with partners working within local, regional, national, and international structures. The project will be co-delivered by the University of Cumbria and Future Proof Cumbria, working in collaboration with other members of the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership (ZCCP) and additional stakeholders.
For further information, please contact: david.murphy@cumbria.ac.uk
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