Clean Growth Taskforce Action Plan – DRAFT
Introduction
The draft Economic Strategy for Norfolk and Suffolk highlights the urgent need to transition to a
decarbonised future and grow a clean economy that protects and restores natural capital and
provides a more resilient, inclusive future for all.
It also draws attention to Norfolk and Suffolk as an established and growing low carbon economy at
the forefront of tackling the challenges and opportunities of climate change. The area is a major
research and innovation centre and has business strengths in adaptation which present significant
cross-sector opportunities for the UK’s transition to net zero. Specifically, Norfolk and Suffolk:
• Is the UK’s leading producer of clean energy. It is at the forefront of the Southern North Sea
transition and has further potential for bioenergy, hydrogen and energy storage industries, and a
strong low carbon goods and services offer.
• Has expertise in satellite applications and Artificial Intelligence (AI) which will benefit offshore
wind, nuclear, precision farming, construction, manufacturing, health and social care, and the
visitor economy.
• Is ripe to further test cross-sector innovation in industries such as farming and food production,
transportation and construction where exponential transformation needed.
The Strategy notes that there are economic and societal advantages for businesses, communities
and places who emerge as leaders, from new markets to new, higher paid jobs and improved public
health and commits to remaining at the forefront of tackling the challenges and opportunities of
climate change.
It defines Clean Growth as “Growing an environmentally positive and resilient economy by
exploiting the region’s strengths, driving the adoption of clean technology, efficient use of natural
resources and reducing waste, accelerating sustainable infrastructure, equipping and empowering
business and people to take advantage of the opportunities in moving to a zero-carbon economy.”
The focus of the Clean Growth Taskforce is five-fold:
• Leadership and collaboration – be Ambassadors for the Clean Growth region at home and
elsewhere
• Evidence and impact – oversee the development of Clean Growth evidence and impact
• Decarbonising Transport – work with the Transport Board to influence the development of the
Alternative Fuel Strategy and Action Plan and its subsequent delivery
• Transition Business Support – work with the Business Growth Programme Partnership Board to
oversee the delivery of the Road to Net Zero Business Support Programme and any wider clean
growth programme embedment
• Workforce for the Future – work with the Skills Advisory Panel to shape the Decarbonisation
Academy proposal and the wider clean growth skills agenda
The Clean Growth agenda binds industry together in a way that has not happened previously: a
holistic and whole life approach that includes the supply chain is critical. The CBI identifies this as
the ‘fourth industrial revolution’ – but how do we add value and avoid duplication?
The Taskforce provides leadership and collaboration and promotes Norfolk and Suffolk as the UK’s
Clean Growth Region helping to raise the profile of the major contribution the area plays in the UK’s
transition to a post carbon economy, representing the area nationally, regionally and locally.
The following outlines discussions to date in the form of key actions and assigns members of the
Taskforce to each with the view of forming smaller working groups to take a real lead in each of
these areas.
Leadership and Collaboration
Be Ambassadors for the Clean Growth region at home and elsewhere
Leads: Genevieve Christie, Pete Joyner, Jill Korwin – tbc
Key actions for 2022:
1. Develop a succinct key message and clear call to action reflecting on businesses
understanding of the term ‘clean growth’. Reflect on other terms (i.e. net zero and climate
positive) as part of this process and establish how we include all the relevant elements:
demand reduction, behaviour change, lifecycle emissions, ‘just transition’ and wider
sustainability goals/circular economy.
2. Deliver a Local Leaders event to support the development of an evidence-based ambition.
The event would help to share activity, develop innovative ideas and hold each other to
account on delivering the region’s clean growth aspirations. The event would be followed up
at a later date to reflect on our collective achievements and to re-focus effort as necessary.
3. Determine how to better link with Local Authority ambition at a regional and local level in
order determine where the Taskforce can add value and deepen impact.
Evidence and Impact
Oversee the development of Clean Growth evidence and impact
Leads: Lorraine Gore, Andrew Lovett, Johnathan Reynolds – tbc
Key actions for 2022:
1. Develop a strategic, emissions-led approach to clean growth evidence and impact, balancing
it with an encouraging succinct key message and clear call to action that everyone can
commit to wherever they are on their clean growth ‘journey’
2. Work with large businesses/point source emitters to establish best practise and peer-to-peer
learning and disseminate throughout the region.
3. Develop a deliverable, local evidence-based ambition – for discussion under item 3
Decarbonising Transport
Work with the Transport Board to influence the development of the Alternative Fuel Strategy and
Action Plan and its subsequent delivery
Leads: Will Bridgman, Ali Clabburn – tbc
Key actions for 2022:
1. Deliver the Alternative Fuel Strategy for East Anglia and consider what role local partners
can play moving forward – working with them to determine focus and next steps in terms of
delivery.
2. Consider how a wider ‘place’ brief might be included alongside transport – this will include
potential for ALL infrastructure as well as the importance of unique local features i.e Port of
Felixstowe and links to the wider economy.
Transition Business Support
Work with the Business Growth Programme Partnership Board to oversee the delivery of the Road
to Net Zero Business Support Programme and any wider clean growth programme embedment
Leads: Nigel Davies, Candy Richards – tbc
Key actions for 2022:
1. Deliver the Road to Net Zero Business Support Programme and consider the evaluation
outputs in order to shape thinking for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund moving forward.
2. Work with other business intermediaries to better coordinate clean growth messaging.
3. Expand Clean Growth for Business as part of the successful UK Community Renewal Fund
bid – transport, energy, procurement, scope 3 emissions, greener products/services and
food mileage currently being explored as options to be included
Workforce for the Future
Work with the Skills Advisory Panel to shape the Decarbonisation Academy proposal and the wider
clean growth skills agenda
Leads: Dayle Bayliss, Lisa Roberts, Nikos Savvas – tbc
Key actions for 2022:
1. Develop the Decarbonisation Academy proposal working with key stakeholders
2. Consider how we continue to improve the links between the private and education sector to
maximise impact, ensuring clean growth is disseminated wherever possible, learning from
initiatives such as the Enterprise Adviser Network
3. Further develop labour market information to embed clean growth and ensure people
understand the opportunities
