Mayor showcases West Yorkshire’s delivery on net zero to world leaders ahead of COP30

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin is in Rio de Janeiro this week for the C40 World Mayors Summit, joining leaders from around the world to push for bolder action on climate to create jobs, cut energy bills, and drive economic growth.

Speaking to some of the world’s most prominent city leaders ahead of the landmark COP30 climate conference in Brazil, Mayor Brabin will champion West Yorkshire’s leadership on climate action, which has seen over £300 million leveraged into cutting emissions over the past five years.

Flagship investments in clean power include a programme that match funds businesses to green their processes and save on energy bills, and a programme that makes solar panels and home upgrades more accessible and affordable for local households, supporting the creation of skilled, green jobs.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:

West Yorkshire is proving that net zero does not have to mean extra costs for hardworking families - it can mean better-paid jobs, lower bills and more vibrant communities for all.

By investing in skills, working with business and backing innovation in our booming green sector, we’re powering new industries and pushing ahead to meet our target of a net zero West Yorkshire by 2038.

I’m joining London Mayor Sadiq Khan in Rio this week to show that with devolution, we no longer have to sit around and wait for national leaders to rescue us from the cost of living and the climate crisis - we can take bold action ourselves to deliver real change.

West Yorkshire’s leadership on clean growth is helping to power one of its fastest-growing sectors. The region’s green economy is already worth £8.1 billion, supporting over 53,000 jobs across 3,000 businesses, and is set to grow by 37% by 2025/26.

The region’s Local Growth Plan is scaling up this success by backing businesses to access finance, skills and markets, and helping them to create more well-paid careers in clean energy, construction and green finance, to name a few.

In its drive to help small and medium-sized businesses to decarbonise their processes and cut the amount they spend on energy, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority has approved 62 projects, generating over 2.75 million kWh of renewable energy and saving 1,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.

A programme to insulate every social home in West Yorkshire is also well underway, with over 4,000 homes receiving free upgrades since 2022, alongside low-interest loans for private homeowners to invest in green technologies that reduce energy bills over the long-term.

Plans are also progressing for an energy efficient, fully integrated transport system - the Weaver Network - which will include the full electrification of its publicly-run bus fleet, as just one part of a reliable and affordable Mass Transit system that encourages people to get out of their polluting cars and onto good public transport.

The C40 Summit brings together mayors from nearly 100 cities around the world to share how local leadership is delivering real results on the road to net zero and COP30.