Event roundup: The Role of Technology in Local Net Zero Plans

Event Round-Up: The Role of Technology in Local Net Zero Planning

As the UK works towards its ambitious net zero targets, the role of local government has never been more critical. In a recent webinar hosted by techUK, we explored how digital tools, data, and innovative partnerships can empower local authorities to accelerate their climate ambitions.

This webinar brought together a panel of experts working across government, policy, and delivery to examine how technology can support local net zero plans, and what needs to change to make that potential a reality.

Watch the session back or read our summary below:

Devolution, Digital Government and Private Investment

Hamida Ali from the Future Governance Forum opened the panel with a detailed overview of their work on devolution, digital transformation, and leveraging private investment, highlighting the need for regional strategic centres and the potential benefits of the current move to wider devolution.

Hamida made the case that devolution must go beyond technocratic reform and deliver tangible improvements to people's lives. She stressed that digital transformation is not just about software or hardware, but about leadership, systems, and capacity across councils.

Local Authorities as Climate Conveners

Councillor Adam Hug, Leader of Westminster City Council and Chair of the Local Infrastructure Net Zero Board at the Local Government Association, brought a strong message about the leadership role local authorities play in the UK’s climate journey.

Despite directly controlling only a small portion of emissions, councils hold powerful levers across housing, transport, energy and waste. Adam highlighted issues around statutory responsibilities, dedicated funding as well as collaborative forums to scale best practice.

He also shared standout case studies from across the UK, including smart wind infrastructure in Cornwall and AI-enabled flood management in Northumberland, to show how local government is already innovating despite constraints.

Tech-Enabled Climate Action in Manchester

Anna Bond from the Manchester Climate Change Agency spoke about the city’s ambitious goal to reach net zero by 2038, and the key role technology plays in driving that mission forward. One such digital tool currently in use is Climate View, helping the city to plan its climate actions by providing a comprehensive overview of emissions and potential reduction strategies. This tool supports informed decision-making and investment planning for achieving net zero.

Anna was also clear about some of the challenges being faced in delivering, especially when it comes to data integration. She called for more support in developing national mechanisms for data sharing and referenced the Pathways to Resilience programme as a key step in tackling that.

Additionally, Anna also emphasised the importance of a just transition, ensuring that the benefits of decarbonisation are equitably distributed and that vulnerable communities are not disproportionately burdened.

The Power of Collaboration and Scale

A recurring theme across the panel was the need for more regional collaboration. Both Hamida and Anna underscored the importance of regional collaboration as a means to providing additional technical capacity and unlock economies of scale. Adam pointed to collective procurement and cross-sector partnerships as vital tools to address funding and capability gaps.

The panel also touched on procurement reform and the importance of multidisciplinary approaches to service redesign, especially when deploying new technologies. The panel then provided final thoughts on the role of local government as a vital enabler of climate action, and highlighted the importance of data sharing, infrastructure investment, and strategic planning.

Get Involved

If you're interested in supporting or shaping future work on local net zero through tech, please get in touch with [email protected] or explore more through our events and sustainability programme hub.

Our next event is a webinar on overcoming key barriers to for local government in their net zero ambitions, which you can sign up for here.

Stay tuned for updates and join the conversation as we continue to explore how digital innovation can unlock real climate outcomes at the local level.

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