Enabling Net Zero: A Plan for UK Industrial Cluster Decarbonisation

The United Kingdom (UK) was the first major economy to legislate for net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, an ambitious and necessary target to mitigate climate change. For the country to meet its national goal, however, it needs to reduce industrial emissions by at least 90% by 2050. Half of these industrial emissions (32 MtCO2e) are contained within industrial clusters, locations where a significant number of industrial sites are concentrated9. Decarbonising industrial cluster activities requires widespread and concurrent updates across the supply chain, including fuels, infrastructure, machinery, processes, and skills, as well as refinement of relevant legislation and regulation. Success relies on ongoing partnership between government and industry to realise emissions
reductions and maximise opportunities for economic growth.