What is this?

Trillions will be required annually by 2050 to address climate risks for urban infrastructure, and yet despite vast pledges of financing for decarbonisation initiatives we still have a significant gap to overcome.

One of the most significant challenges to overcome, is funneling private investment into these initiatives at the scale needed to meet our joint objectives.

In this session we will take a look at how innovative financial mechanisms which can be used to unlock private finance that will enable cities to implement their ambitious climate programmes from a neighbourhood and city region level.

In a bottom-up approach, the conversation will start from the example of decarbonisation at the micro urban level, starting from the CPC experience, and will then zoom out to the municipal and national  level with the Climate City Capital Hub.

Focus on the Net Zero Neighbourhood (NZN) Model Background

The NZN concept aims for comprehensive neighbourhood level decarbonisation across multiple asset classes simultaneously: domestic and commercial retrofit; transport; energy; and waste.  NZNs can create an investment vehicle using a blended, place-based financial model which can use returns from high-yield assets like renewables to pump-prime lower-yield areas like waste and retrofit. 

This innovative financing model for retrofit has been developed to HMT Green Book Standard funded by DESNZ, which recommended a series of demonstrators.  The model is supported by investors, and is the subject of investigation and refinement by 3Ci’s Net Zero Investment Task Force.  It can be scaled across several locations to create far larger investment portfolios across multiple asset classes, increasing attractiveness to larger scale, patient investors and reducing costs, for example from repeating diligence, legal and procurement work multiple times.

The foundation of the model is predicated on creating a repayment mechanism for the residential retrofit which is relatively straightforward so that residents can understand it, encourages take up for residents, addresses the differences in property types, and balances affordability for residents with long-term financial sustainability for the project.

When & Where:

Tuesday, Sept 24th, 2024

New York

In-person event: Closed

What is this?

3Ci and Net Zero APPG are hosting “BIG Net Zero Breakfast” at this year’s Labour Party Conference. This high-profile and interactive session will welcome new Labour MPs and members of the Net Zero APPG, providing a valuable opportunity to meet with investors and stakeholders.

This event will feature a keynote speaker and an “in conversation” session, followed by a discussion on how to accelerate Labour’s clean energy mission in towns, cities, regions, and neighbourhoods across the UK.

We believe that the benefits of Labour’s clean energy mission—green jobs, skills, and growth—should be felt in all UK cities, regions, towns, and neighbourhoods. We also recognise that the cost of decarbonisation cannot be borne by the public sector alone, so we must explore new ways to unlock investment and turn costs into opportunities.

3Ci and the Net Zero APPG have been collaborating on strategies to unlock Net Zero investment, and this session is designed to provoke debate on Labour’s mission to make Great Britain a clean energy superpower. Unlocking investment is key, and the BIG Net Zero Breakfast will provide a forum for business, city, and civic leaders to join us in this important discussion.

When & Where:

Monday, Sept 23rd, 2024

Liverpool

In-person event: Closed

What is this?

This roundtable is for the leadership of Sheffield City Council to discuss the opportunities to invest in the decarbonisation of the city. We will be joined by Cllr Tom Hunt, Leader, and Kate Josephs, Chief Executive, who will share the Sheffield story and how they are looking to achieve Net Zero in the city. There will be an opportunity to network over a light lunch.

Contact Ian Binns for more information.

ian.binns@cp.catapult.org.uk

When & Where:

Thursday 14th November

12 – 2pm

In-person event: London (members only)

What is this?

Context

The time has come to unlock climate finance for cities. On all continents, there are cities ready to take climate action. Their leaders have developed climate strategies and detailed plans that will allow urban emissions to be reduced significantly – from housing, transport and industry. These city climate plans also set out how the daily lives and climate resilience of citizens and communities will be improved at the same time, with better designed neighbourhoods and services that enable low-carbon, climate resilient living and working. What’s needed is public funding and private finance. This roundtable is an opportunity to bring together representatives of cities and investors, as well as a small number of supply chain leaders, to explore several innovative climate finance initiatives and demonstrators and to determine what is needed to bring more finance forward for implementation without delay.

There are several UK partners attending New York Climate Week who have been driving forward the climate finance agenda in the UK including 3Ci, Arup, the former Deputy Mayor of London and SDCL who partnered with Greater London Authority to create London EDGE fund (£100 million for decarbonisation projects across London), Ameresco, and the former Mayor of Bristol who led Bristol City Leap (£1billion low carbon energy infrastructure public-private partnership with Ameresco).

When & Where:

Wednesday, Sept 25th, 2024

New York

In-person event: Closed

What is this?

3Ci is excited to announce the launch of our new guide: “The Path to Net Zero: Three Steps for Effective Community Engagement.”

We will share the key strategies outlined in our guide and explore how it has been successfully implemented.

During the event, we will present the three crucial steps for fostering community engagement on the journey to net zero. You will also hear from representatives of the Sheffield and Doncaster councils, who have utilised our guide and received our support in developing their community engagement strategies for net zero projects.

The event will conclude with a discussion session, followed by an optional lunch, offering an excellent networking opportunity.

If you are an investor or local authority eager to participate in shaping the future of sustainable investments, please contact zoe.jennings@cp.catapult.org.uk

When & Where:

25th July 2024

10 – 12pm

In-person event: Sheffield

What is this?

Private members are invited to join us on a site visit to Arsenal Net Zero Neighbourhood in the London Borough of Islington to learn about the opportunity to decarbonise the Arsenal area, which is a densely populated neighbourhood marked by a mix of residential, commercial properties and public facilities. 

Islington is investing across its estate and is working on opportunities to scale up different approaches to decarbonise its neighbourhoods. In the Arsenal neighbourhood the investment opportunity is focused on building a district heating network supplied by low carbon heat sources, improving the energy efficiency of homes and connecting them to the network, and installing solar panels and electric vehicle charging. Islington’s People Friendly Streets program is well advanced, and the borough has identified low carbon heating sources in the neighbourhood building on its unique experience extracting heat from London Underground vents. 

3Ci is a partnership between Connected Places Catapult, Core Cities UK, London Councils, Key Cities, Scottish Alliance, and other local authorities across the UK aimed at supporting local authorities secure the necessary long-term finance for achieving net zero. 3Ci members and invited guests will be guided by colleagues from London Borough of Islington. The visit will start with refreshments and presentations at Connected Places Catapult’s office 1 Sekforde Street, London, EC1R 0BE and conclude with a light lunch at a venue in the Highbury area. RSVP to ian.binns@cp.catapult.org.uk 

3Ci members and invited guests will be guided by colleagues from London Borough of Islington.

Contact Ian Binns for more information.

This event is the third in a series for our private sector members with key decision makers.

When & Where:

Wednesday, July 10th 2024

10am – 13.30pm

In-person event: Arsenal, Islington

What is this?

The event aims to bring together key stakeholders from national and local government, private sector investors and other bodies to discuss practical strategies for investing in net zero projects at the local level. Through focused discussions, case studies and panel sessions, participants will explore ways to bridge the gap between policy intentions and on-the-ground action, with a particular focus on providing finance, and identifying policy actions to accelerate project implementation. 

Agenda: 

09:30 AM – 09:55 AM: Registration and coffee

10:00 AM – 10:30 AM: Welcome and Introductions Brief overview of the event objectives and agenda. Scene setting from Chair: Steve Turner, Director, 3Ci 

10:30 AM – 11:00 AM: Case Studies – Lessons from London and Bristol

11:00 AM – 11:45 AM: Workshop 1: Policy Context: What policy actions enable and accelerate implementation 

11:45 AM – 12:30 PM: Workshop 2: Financing Context: What conditions are required for finance to flow? 

12:30 PM – 1:15 PM: Presentation to a panel chaired by Greg Clark, Chair of 3Ci 

1:30 PM – 2:00 PM: Networking Lunch

This event is hosted by NatWest in conjunction with LCAW.

When & Where:

Monday 24th June 2024

10 am – 2pm

In-person event: (invite only) London

What is this?

We know that with strong local leadership we can go faster and make progress to reach Net Zero by 2050 and place-based green growth. Stronger collaboration between local and national government, business, investors and communities will be vital to achieving this. This reception will bring together MPs, Peers, business, investors and our local and civic leaders to talk about scaling up Net Zero investment in neighbourhoods and communities across the UK.

Speakers will include:

• Lord Martin Callanan, Minister of State for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance
• Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, Shadow Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
• Alex Sobel MP, Chair, Net Zero APPG
• Rt Hon Sir Alok Sharma MP, Former COP26 President
• Kerry McCarthy MP, Shadow MInister for Climate Change
• Alan Brown MP, Chair of PRASEG
• Greg Clark CBE, Chair 3Ci & Connected Places Catapult
• Catherine McGuinness CBE, Non-Executive Director of Connected Places Catapult

When & Where:

Tuesday 19th March 2024

4pm – 9pm

In-person event: House of Lords and House of Commons, London