Cities across the UK will get an opportunity to share knowledge on how to decarbonise their cultural and creative sectors as part of the drive to net zero, thanks to the leading role Liverpool has taken.
Named as the world’s first ever UN Accelerator City last year, Liverpool has spent the last nine months researching, trialling and experimenting how to transition the cultural sector to a net zero future.
Now Liverpool City Council, in partnership with the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, is inviting local authority representatives from UK cities to a collaborative online workshop to highlight how other cities can accelerate the decarbonisation of their cultural and creative sectors – including live music, events, and film and television production.
The session is part of Liverpool’s pioneering role as the UN’s first Accelerator City for climate action under the Entertainment and Culture for Climate Action programme.
Through this initiative, Liverpool is trialling a series of innovative low-carbon pilots, including:
• Integrated event ticketing with public transport
• Updated land use agreements
• Exploration of mains power at key event and filming sites
• Sustainable approaches to large-scale live music and film/TV production
The workshop will share early insights from Liverpool’s Accelerator City programme and explore how these learnings can be applied in other UK cities. Other cities will also be able to share their knowledge and experience as they are also on the transition to net zero.
The workshop will identify the types of guidance and support needed to scale low-carbon cultural practices and foster stronger connections between climate and cultural policy.
Local authorities interested should email cultureliverpool@liverpool.gov.uk for more information. Further workshops, including international cities, will be held later in the year.
Councillor Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council, said: “Since being named by the United Nations as the world’s first Accelerator City, we have been collaborating with many organisations across the cultural sector.
“This has seen some remarkable achievements in the last nine months, including holding three net zero gigs at the city’s M&S Bank Arena, including one with Massive Attack.
“We have worked closely with film and TV production crews to decarbonise their process, and we have made huge strides in identifying some of the hurdles faced in switching from fossil fuels to clean energy sources.
“We’re incredibly proud of the hard work and successes we have had since November. But it’s really important that the lessons we have learned benefit other cities too.
“That’s why it’s crucial we take a lead on this and share our experience and knowledge with others. “Liverpool has always been a cultural trailblazer and thanks to the UN Accelerator City programme, we’re helping to shape how the cultural sector will operate and work in the future.”