South Yorkshire is aiming to cut emissions by 40% by 2030 and to be net-zero by 2040. To get there, the region needs to make some big changes
But how do you go about making such massive reductions in something like emissions? Where do you start and what are the practical steps that South Yorkshire could take? Once you’ve set the target, how do you meet it?
Every aspect of our modern lives produces emissions. The homes that we all live in, the ways in which we move around and the products our region manufactures, to name a few.
SYSC’s Regional Emissions Budgeting Framework is a key tool to help local policy-makers make informed decisions about emissions reduction.
So much of this work relies on data - lots and lots of data.
Establishing baselines is an important starting point. We’re not talking about where Novak Djokovic serves from or the thudding rhythm of the music you listen to. Simply put, a baseline is a starting point used for comparisons. Easy.
Getting accurate data to form robust and reliable emissions baselines from is difficult. But the good news is that it is possible. And it's exactly what our Data Driven Solutions work package has been working on, led by Professor Vania Sena at the University of Sheffield’s Management School.
In 2022, Dr. Ling Min Tan began work to develop a tool that brought together South Yorkshire's emissions data and could model how different actions would impact emissions.
Collecting data
Dr. Tan has collected emissions data from a wide range of sources. This includes national and local government. BEIS, DEFRA and the ONS have publicly available datasets. The team have also included data from the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI). These datasets are published at regular intervals and provide extensive and accurate information. The problem with these sources is that they are retrospective and present a picture from the recent past.
Gathering data from local authority partners has been a collaborative process. Each local authority completed a pro forma to provide data for the project. The benefits of this approach is that we have been able to use accurate and up-to-date data. It is also information from within the region, about the region, and can be regularly updated.
So that's the data. Lots of it. But how do you bring it together in a way that paints a picture of South Yorkshire and what it can do to reduce emissions?
The Regional Emissions Budgeting Framework tool - REBF
A process of audit, design and mapping started to bring the data together into a single tool. Through iteration Dr. Tan has built a platform that analyses various in-putted scenarios. The tool provides corresponding environmental impacts as outputs.
Formatting the data into a tool which distils it into clear answers has taken a lot of time and dedication. Dr. Tan has worked tirelessly with a clear goal in mind - to support carbon reduction efforts in South Yorkshire.
The REBF is a powerful tool, displaying South Yorkshire's emissions in a different and more accessible way. It enables local authorities to explore different scenarios and see the hypothetical results of interventions on emissions. Empowered by data-driven insights, local policy-makers will better understand how to make carbon reductions. It aims to support more targeted action in South Yorkshire to sustainability challenges.
Talking about the project, Dr. Tan said:
"The goal has been to equip local authorities with tools necessary to make informed decisions about reducing their emissions.""We are still working to develop the tool further. There is additional functionality we want to introduce based on the feedback we have had on our prototype model. We also want to improve the tools interface to make it more user-friendly."
More to come
A lot of progress has been made - we have turned discrete data into an evaluative model that reacts to a user's inputs. But there are opportunities to improve functionality further following positive feedback from partners.
Dr. Tan and the Data-driven Solutions Work Package have now secured extra funding for the project. This is for the next stage of the tools development based on feedback from local authorities testing and using the tool for themselves. A new interface will be built as well as supporting its expansion to other sectors. This will make it an even more interactive and effective tool for partners to use.
The REBF tool is a keystone for emissions reduction in South Yorkshire. It's been built for the region, by the region, in the region.
