Carbon Transition Strategy

The Carbon Transition Strategy sets out the scale of the decarbonisation challenge for the region and how it can be addressed.

Baseline transport emissions of over 4,400 ktCO2e per annum show the challenge of achieving net zero in the peninsula. Modelling indicates that transport emissions in the peninsula could still be around 3,300 ktCO2e per annum in 2050 if current policy remains the only driver of decarbonisation. Although future technologies may be able to mitigate or offset some of the transport shortfall, action must be taken now to accelerate transport decarbonisation in the region.

In total, 12 actions were shortlisted, encompassing a range of approaches to accelerate reducing carbon emissions from transport across the peninsula, from reducing demand, changing the method of transport, using alternative fuels and encouraging ‘active’ travel such as cycling and walking.

The three priority actions for Peninsula Transport include:

• Public transport prioritisation: leading the delivery of regional initiatives such as better ticketing, to make public transport a better choice (to cars).
• Creating the electric network of the future: developing a plan to support a well-planned network of charging infrastructure, that fulfils the needs of residents and businesses.
• Delivering a zero-emissions bus fleet: bringing together each local authority’s plan to decarbonise the bus fleet, creating an implementation plan for the peninsula to help accelerate the required infrastructure.

The strategy used modelling to forecast future transport emissions in the peninsula to assess the effectiveness of different interventions.

Four future transport scenarios were developed with stakeholders, ranging from a ‘low ambition’ approach, which used the current policy as a baseline alongside limited other measures, to a ‘maximum ambition’ approach which combined significant behavioural and technological changes for travel in the peninsula.

Greater emphasis will be placed on collaborative work to bring forward pilot projects. The other six actions will be developed as part of the full Peninsula Transport Strategy.