Local Zero

Fraser and Becky (& Becky's dog Kaya!) are joined by Angus Paterson, Electric Vehicles Strategy Senior Officer at Essex County Council, and Joe Ash, Net Zero Associate at UK Power Networks. In this episode we chat about how Essex is harnessing the power of open data to fulfil their net zero planning ambitions, and how the relationship between councils and UKPN works. As promised in the episode: https://ukpowernetworks.opendatasoft.com/pages/laep/https://www.yourlocalnetzerohub.co.uk/

Living Places is a social enterprise focused on funding and delivery of community focused, place-based models for a just net zero transition. Becky and Fraser are joined by their co-founder, Rufus Grantham, to discuss his work in this space. There's a bit of maths and finance - but stick with it!https://livingplaces.earth/

What can we do to tackle fuel poverty more effectively?A busy episode of Local Zero as Matt, Becky and Fraser are joined by Dr Nicola Willand from RMIT University in Melbourne, Professor Lucie Middlemiss from the University of Leeds, and Dr Neil Simcock from Liverpool John Moores University.Nicki, Lucie and Neil are part of the Fuel Poverty Research Network. The Fuel Poverty Research Network (FPRN) is an international network that brings together students, researchers, policymakers and other professionals to foster constructive dialogue and collaboration in relation to all aspects of fuel poverty.

After catching up on professional and personal news, Matt, Becky and Fraser welcome Rachel Coxcoon to the pod. Rachel, a former councillor and founder/director of Climate Guide, and is currently doing a PHD at Lancaster University. In this episode, we talk about the role of deliberative democracy such as climate assemblies, and how we can use these effectively to achieve Net Zero.

Matt has very exciting news to share before he and Becky welcome James Bonner from Every Tree Tells a Story to discuss his work. https://everytree.uk/

Joining Becky and Fraser for the first episode of 2024 are Scotland's Makar (National Poet) Kathleen Jamie, and writer Sandy Winterbottom, who talk to us about 'Paperboats' - a campaign led by Scottish writers, poets and creatives, and about the need to repair the divide between the arts and science.

Somehow it's that time of the year once again! Becky, Matt and Fraser break down the highlights and lowlights of the year, are joined by Patrick from the production team to pick out their favourite episodes, and there might - MIGHT - be a Future or Fiction in there somewhere!Thank you to you, our listeners, for your time, energy, and support this year.

In January this year, Hannah Jewell, then of Climate Emergency UK, joined us to discuss their Council Climate Plan scorecards. Months later, the results are in, and Isaac Beevor joins the pod to discuss how the roll-out went and discuss the key findings. Before this, Matt and Fraser break down a busy month of climate news...

Recently, we brought you edited highlights from a live panel discussion held in Edinburgh, entitled Countdown to the General Election: Scotland’s next steps to net-zero.This episode is the panel discussion in full, including 10 minutes of opening remarks from Chris Stark, Chief Executive of the Climate Change Committee, and over an hour of indepth debate featuring, alongside Chris: Charles Hendry, President of BIEE and former UK Government Energy Minister (chair)Guy Jefferson, COO Scottish Power Energy NetworksProfessor Janette Webb, chair in Sociology of Organisations, School of Social and Political Science, University of EdinburghChris Birt, associate director for Scotland at the Joseph Rowntree foundationThis discussion considers:Are the main parties' decarbonisation goals realistic and achievable?Can decarbonisation goals be made more compelling to voters who are concerned that they will have a negative impact on costs of energy and energy security; and what steps are needed to achieve this?Where do significant policy gaps lie and what are the priorities for action?Recommendations for parties’ manifestos to accelerate a just transition to net-zero.With thanks to BIEE and Edinburgh University's Business School for allowing us to record and share the discussion.

Matt and Fraser welcome Nick Lyth, Founder of Green Angel Ventures, and Stephen Hall, Head of Awards at Ashden. The Ashden Awards are given to organisations and businesses that deliver local, sustainable energy schemes with social, economic and environmental benefits - and this year, Fraser was involved in deciding the winners. https://www.carbonbrief.org/the-carbon-brief-quiz-2023/https://youtube.com/@Ashden_org?si=RbQHRG-C0fGuJL3J

A different episode format for you this time round - Matt and Fraser dissect the key highlights from a recent live panel discussion in Edinburgh, titled Countdown to the General Election: Scotland’s next steps to net-zero.The next general election is widely expected to take place during 2024. Political parties are already spending significant time developing their manifestos, where energy and climate change are likely to feature heavily. Scotland lies at the heart of this debate. Both Scottish and UK governments have been warned by the CCC that there is no clear delivery plan to meet its 2030 and 2040 interim carbon targets. Featuring insights from:Charles Hendry, President of BIEE and former UK Government Energy Minister (chair)Guy Jefferson, COO Scottish Power Energy NetworksChris Stark, Chief Executive of the Climate Change CommitteeProfessor Janette Webb, chair in Sociology of Organisations, School of Social and Political Science, University of EdinburghChris Birt of the Joseph Rowntree foundation

In 2022, Swaffham Prior, a village in East Cambridgeshire, became the first village to develop a rural heat network. Before welcoming Emma Flether, who worked on this project and is now Low Carbon Homes Director at Octopus Energy, Becky and Fraser discuss what we can expect from fuel bills this winter, in the midst of plummeting UK temperatures.

Fraser is back, just in time to discuss the recent party conferences - before the team welcome Rachel Mills from Citizens Advice, and Mairi Brookes from Low Carbon Hub, to discuss how soon we can make our homes smarter and faster.

In 2021, Scottish Government committed to making four Scottish Islands Carbon Neutral by 2040. This was increased to six islands following COP26. The ‘lucky six’ islands selected were Barra, Great Cumbrae, Hoy, Islay, Raasay and Yell – and, to quote the Scottish Government, this would ‘lay the foundations for future action relevant for all other islands in Scotland.’Matt and Becky chat to Darragh Keenaghan and Rosie MacInnes, who are both working on the Carbon Neutral Islands project, to discuss their progress so far.

Matt and Becky reveal some very exciting news from the Local Zero team (!) before discussing the logistics of the school commute - and then welcome Camille Warrington from the Shawlands Bike Bus to discuss this movement in more detail.

How is it August already?!... As the summer holidays come to an end, Matt, Becky and Fraser are joined by Local Zero icon Dr Jeff Hardy to discuss both their personal and broader highlights and lowlights of the year so far.

We can’t live without water, but who controls the supply, and who looks after it, has been a highly debated and contentious issue in the UK, particularly in recent years.Matt, Becky and Fraser catch up on a hefty week of climate-related headlines before welcoming Hugo Tagholm, formerly of Surfers Against Sewage, and now executive director and vice president of Oceana, to talk about the controversies regarding water ownership and how best to tackle them from a national, and local perspective.

Why is place-based work so important?For the 75th (!) episode of Local Zero, Becky and a rain-battered Fraser are joined by Naomi Luhde-Thompson, leader of Rights Community Action, to discuss how we can work with communities, not for them. www.rightscommunityaction.co.uk

How can we utilise our garden spaces, balconies, window boxes and/or pots to benefit the environment? Matt, Fraser and Becky catch up on all things summer, and discuss their own gardening skills before being joined by Kate Bradbury, an award-winning author and journalist, who specialises in wildlife gardening.

What actions could usefully be taken to ensure these projects empower and enrich communities?In the fourth and final episode of our Carbon Offsetting for Communities mini-series, we explore how projects associated with nature-based carbon offsetting positively and negatively impact communities.