The region’s flagship climate change summit has brought the Humber together behind a shared vision for a prosperous net zero future.
That is the verdict of those behind Waterline Summit 2022, where a tidal wave of investment has been outlined in industrial decarbonisation - providing policy framework flows. The three-day event brought businesses, public sector organisations, academic institutions and community groups together with a focus on the creation of highly-skilled green jobs and the cleaning up of the UK’s most carbon intensive cluster.
Organised in partnership between Marketing Humber and the University of Hull, challenges and opportunities were addressed, with national expertise welcomed and warnings of failure to act.
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The Energy Estuary looks set to be home to internationally significant decarbonisation projects, with the summit erving to highlight the crucial role the region has to play. It also saw the CBI’s first demonstrator programme celebrated and the Humber 2030 Vision launched.
Dr Diana Taylor, managing director of Marketing Humber, said: “The Waterline Summit has delivered as the largest decarbonisation event in the North of England. We’ve been the catalyst to raise awareness of the challenges and opportunities for the Humber, as the biggest emitter of CO2 in the UK, and alongside our academic and industrial partners, we’ve put the region on the global stage to lead the transition to a net zero future.
“We’ve shared knowledge and ideas to help position the Humber as a world leader in the climate change challenge. Now, the focus must be on action and implementation, as there can be no delay. We are leading in innovative technology and building expertise to achieve our aims and now, after four years of The Waterline Summit, the Humber has a shared vision.”
The summit was held at Aura Innovation Centre on Hessle’s Bridgehead Business Park, and featured in-person discussion panels, presentations, exhibitions and networking opportunities focused on accelerating action to tackle climate change. It was set against a backdrop of record-breaking summer temperatures and wider global destruction.
Professor Dave Petley, new vice-chancellor at the University of Hull, used his summit debut to flag concerns about future research fundng. He said: “It’s critical for us to stem the tide and make the changes necessary to avert the worst of the climate crisis. Doing so will require stakeholders from all walks of society coming together and collaborating towards our net zero goals. Whilst this may seem daunting, the Humber is a shining example of what can be achieved.”
Renowned broadcaster Louise Minchin had got the event underway, with a panel discussion featuring former Energy Secretary Chris Huhne, ahead of a day focused on education and then a headline-packed finale, with updates on the roles for freeports and investment zones, energy of the future and offshore wind’s continuing emergence.
Beckie Hart, regional director for the CBI Yorkshire and the Humber, who attended the summit, said: “It’s been great to see so much commitment from businesses to such an important agenda. It’s vital the business community is united in projecting a vision for how it wants to see the Humber develop in the next stage of its evolution. It now has that vision.
“In recent years we’ve seen businesses move from exploring and learning about decarbonisation, to knowing they have to do something. That’s why the momentum created by The Waterline Summit is so important.”
The winners of the Waterline Student Sustainability Challenge, which encourages young people across the Humber to come up with their own eco solutions, were also announced.
The Loyal Leaders, from Engineering UTC Northern Lincolnshire, won the top prize of £2,000 for their school and a trip to Norway with sponsor Equinor. Team members developed and implemented an energy pledge at the Scunthorpe school, investigated ways to reduce energy consumption and are now working with the finance manager to cut the energy bill by a third.
Students attending the session also enjoyed a talk from three-time Olympic champion cyclist Ed Clancy OBE, who shared his tips on how to succeed in even the most high-pressure environments.
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