Peter Bonfield

Bristol is not expected to meet 2030 net zero targets. A disappointing headline, but not a surprising one. It’s a common headline when ambitious climate goals are set without the detailed plans, funding, or accountability needed to actually reach them. That said, there is progress to be proud of: 🌳 Bristol’s emissions per head have been lower than similar UK cities for nearly 20 years 🌳 Emissions are continuing to fall faster than the national average What stood out to me in the article published yesterday was “People in Hartcliffe and produced on average 36% fewer emissions than those in Redland.” It’s a clear reminder of the link between affluence and carbon consumption. Communities with the lowest emissions are frequently the most vulnerable to the consequences. We need to bring climate justice into every conversation about sustainability. With the UK’s legal target of net zero by 2050, there’s still a long (loooong) way to go. But we need to keep pushing for local action, honest reporting, and real community engagement. #Bristol #GreenCapital #NetZero Link to article in the comments 📰

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🌍 Norfolk’s youngest climate leaders are taking action. At the first-ever Mini COP Summit, 30 primary schools joined forces to explore climate issues, celebrate sustainability wins, and share bold ideas for the future. Launched at the Royal Norfolk Show and powered by RWE, with support from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association, the event revealed inspiring action already underway: ✅ 100% of schools recycle ✅ 81% promote pre-loved items ✅ 63% grow their own food ✅ 31% use renewable energy To support their efforts, #TeamRWE is gifting a water butt to every participating school – a practical step inspired by student-led insights. This is just the start of a year-round journey to empower young changemakers. 🌱

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🎓 Hats off to the University of West London for their outstanding commitment to sustainability, and for calculating their first-ever in-house carbon footprint with SWEEP As one of the UK's top 30 universities, UWL has set ambitious #decarbonization targets: 🎯 #NetZero in Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 2030 🎯 Net zero for Scope 3 by 2040 Using Sweep's platform, they successfully produced their first-ever in-house carbon footprint "with ease" and earned praise from external auditors for report quality and transparency 🏆 "Sweep's intuitive interface and comprehensive features allowed us to calculate our first ever in-house carbon footprint with ease. The detailed reports and planning tools have empowered us to identify areas for improvement," says Claire Willitts MSc MRICS, Pro Vice Chancellor (Property, Accommodation & Sustainability) 🏫 Leading by example in higher education #sustainability 📖 Find out more about University of West London’s Sweep journey here: https://lnkd.in/eRkfbV7r #Sustainability #NetZero #HigherEducation Dan Skelton | Grace Hunter (Ashman) | Rachel Delacour | Freddie House | Ryan Fagan | Kayleigh Potter

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🎯💫From the outset, our mission was clear: to support the UK’s ambition of becoming a world leader in industrial decarbonisation. What makes IDRIC unique is not just the scale of the challenge we set out to tackle, but the way we approached it: through collaboration and a whole systems perspective. 📖Read the full article #NewEnergyWorld, August issue or online: https://lnkd.in/emcFQKhu 700 partners; 100 projects; >250 outputs 🏆IDRIC achievements are a testament to what is possible when we approach industrial decarbonisation together as a systems opportunity by integrating technology, policy, economics, and social impact. 🏭We have demonstrated that industrial decarbonisation is possible, and it delivers far more than carbon savings. It is about creating good jobs, resilient communities, global competitiveness, and healthier environments. 💪This is just the beginning. To reach net zero, we must scale up innovation and impact, sustain collaboration, and embed decarbonisation into the fabric of our industrial heartlands. Together, we can deliver industrial decarbonisation as a driver of social and economic prosperity for generations to come. Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC), Energy Institute, Research Centre for Carbon Solutions (RCCS), EPSRC #NetZero #Decarbonisation #SustainableHWU #SustainableIndustry #CleanEnergy #GreenInnovation #JustTransition #IndustrialStrategy #ClimateAction

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Excited to hear that the UK is stepping up clean energy with new CCUS projects. The two CCUS projects, Connah’s Quay Low Carbon Power and Ince Bioenergy with CCS, are entering government-industry talks as part of the HyNet cluster. Together, they aim to capture millions of tonnes of CO2 annually and power 900,000 homes. These projects promise hundreds of skilled jobs and boost the UK’s leadership in clean energy and carbon capture. Officials stress the need for a clear long-term plan to fully unlock CCUS’s potential for net zero. #CCUS #HyNet #CarbonCapture

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Some seriously good news in the FT today on the surge in planning approvals for the UK's renewables sector. Over 16.1GW of new renewables capacity across 323 projects received planning approval during the second quarter, representing a 195 per cent increase on the same period last year - a three month period, which not entirely coincidentally, marked the last full quarter of the Conservative government. There was also a surge in energy storage projects, with the data showing more than 100 planning applications for battery energy storage systems were filed between April and June 2025, delivering a pipeline with 8.4GW of capacity and representing double the level recorded during the second quarter of 2024. The results follow confirmation from the Microgeneration Certification Scheme that installations of small scale solar, heat pump, and battery technologies have also sent records toppling this year. The most recent data confirmed there were a record 170,000 certified installations in the first six months of 2025, marking a 37 per cent increase on the first half of last year and a 33 per cent jump on the previous record, which was set in 2023. This all adds up to some seriously rapid progress. Give or take, the government wants to add 60GW to 70GW of new renewables capacity over the next five years. It is a daunting task and there are good reasons to be sceptical that it can be achieved. But then again, 16GW of new capacity was just approved inside three months. There is zero room for complacency. Concerns over grid connections and capacity, rising costs, curtailment payments, skills shortages, CCS, long duration storage, and supply chain bottlenecks all urgently need addressing. But planning barriers are being eased, political signals are having the desired effect, and investment is starting to motor. The debate over the government's clean energy ambitions will rumble on, but what is clear is that some serious momentum is starting to build. https://lnkd.in/eAzY23qh

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Where are heat pumps installed in the UK? A new peer-reviewed study in Energy Policy shows that heat pumps are spreading very unevenly across the UK, despite a decade of adoption subsidies. The research uses spatial analysis to track where uptake concentrates and why. The findings are striking: early-adopting local areas tend to benefit from a blend of more readily adaptable housing, stronger low‑carbon skills among local workforces, and established supply chains. The study also uncovers robust evidence of spatial spillovers (“contagion” effects) where for every three heat pumps installed in one area, roughly one additional installation follows in a neighbouring area with less favourable conditions. This raises an important policy dilemma for decarbonising heat: should policymakers prioritise effectiveness by reinforcing momentum in early‑adopting areas, harnessing spillovers and scaling supply chains more quickly? Or should they focus on equity by directing more support toward later adopters and regions facing tougher starting conditions to avoid deepening regional disparities? The answer likely lies in a balanced, place‑based approach: pairing national incentives with local capability building, targeted training for installers, stronger regional supply chains, and tailored support for harder‑to‑retrofit homes, designed to leverage diffusion dynamics while widening access. The paper is written by Theodoros Arvanitopoulos at Cardiff Business School and The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Charlie Wilson at the Environmental Change Institute (ECI), University of Oxford and Craig Morton at Loughborough University. For more details and visuals read the Energy Policy article here: https://lnkd.in/etFdqFyC

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🔬 #Funding Opportunity: Innovate UK - Resource Efficiency for Resilience and Sustainability Innovate UK is inviting UK-registered businesses to apply for grants from a £1.1 million fund aimed at #innovative feasibility studies in #sustainable, #lowcarbon #materials and #manufacturing. Scope includes: 🗑️ Resource-efficient and sustainable materials and manufacturing: Projects that explore ways to reduce waste, improve energy efficiency, or create more sustainable materials in UK manufacturing. 🌿 Seaweed processing innovation: Initiatives that aim to significantly increase yield, efficiency, or value per tonne of UK-harvested or cultivated seaweed. Key Details: 💰 Funding Type: Grant 💼 Project Size:£10,000–£25,000 🗓️ Project Duration: 1–2 months, starting 1 Feb 2026 ⌛ Deadline: 3 November 2025, 1100, UK time Full competition details and eligibility criteria can be found here: https://buff.ly/UYziEEo #biotechnology #bioeconomy #innovation #funding #sustainablemanufacturing #seaweed

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