South Yorkshire to become innovation centre in research and development in bringing down carbon emissions

South Yorkshire is set to become an innovation centre for bringing down carbon emissions through research and development.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The South Yorkshire Sustainability Centre, announced by South Yorkshire Mayor Dan Jarvis, will bring together researchers, businesses and organisations across the region to design solutions to regional and global sustainability challenges and work towards net zero emissions by 2050.

The centre will be led by the University of Sheffield through a partnership that includes the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, the four South Yorkshire councils, Sheffield Hallam University, and a range of private and voluntary sector organisations.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Projects that will be coordinated by the centre include the optimisation and decarbonisation of transport routes, retrofitting housing stock, decarbonising the agri-food sector and heavy industry, and restoring the region’s natural environments and assets.

The South Yorkshire Sustainability Centre was announced by Mayor Dan Jarvis at the South Yorkshire Economic Summit 2022The South Yorkshire Sustainability Centre was announced by Mayor Dan Jarvis at the South Yorkshire Economic Summit 2022
The South Yorkshire Sustainability Centre was announced by Mayor Dan Jarvis at the South Yorkshire Economic Summit 2022

It aims to help organisations to consider the environmental aspects of sustainability challenges but also to balance these against economic and social factors through solutions.

The centre has recently received £5 million of funding from Research England. It will be delivered by a network of academics working closely with the region’s business and industrial sector.

South Yorkshire Mayor Dan Jarvis, said: “The region is the heartland of innovation and we are harnessing these credentials to tackle the biggest challenge facing our generation: the climate emergency and the need to drastically reduce carbon emissions.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I’ve made it my mission to create a stronger, greener, fairer South Yorkshire economy and our investment in the Sustainability Centre will catalyse our region’s plan to reach net zero emissions by 2040, unlock good green jobs and grow and attract new businesses and investment.”

Centre Director, Professor Rachael Rothman, said: “The centre will bring together academic expertise from across Sheffield’s two universities to address specific regional challenges.

“It is important to look at sustainability challenges holistically; ensuring that in our urgent drive to reduce emissions we are also considering the economic and social impact, and opportunities, of the solutions we propose.

“While we have identified initial projects for the centre, we also have some funding for future projects and we are keen to hear from organisations that would like to work with us to co-design solutions to regional sustainability challenges.”