Humber Industrial Cluster Plan

The Humber Local Enterprise Partnership and membership organisation CATCH will work with industrial partners across the Humber to develop the Humber Cluster Plan (HCP) that will enable the Humber industrial cluster -- the UK's largest by carbon emissions -- to achieve net zero by 2040\.

The Humber emits more CO2 than any other industrial cluster (30% more than the next largest), whilst the area is one of the most vulnerable to climate change. A quarter of the Humber's GVA and 1 in 10 jobs depend on these industries, making safeguarding their competitiveness imperative for the local economy as well as strategically important for the UK.

The HCP will be informed by ongoing work on proposed industry-led decarbonisation investments and will have access to world-class industrial expertise to demonstrate how decarbonisation can be achieved at the same time as ensuring the local economy continues to thrive. The plan will provide a blueprint for clean growth to drive a green recovery in the Humber.

A phased approach will prioritise near-term deliverable investments that will see quick results, significantly reducing the Humber's emissions by 2030, mapping out how CCS and hydrogen infrastructure can be scaled up over time, and identifying the full range of interventions required to achieve net zero by 2040\.

HCP will also outline the potential for the Humber's industrial decarbonisation to support decarbonisation beyond the industrial cluster, including maritime in the UK's largest ports complex, road/rail transport and decarbonisation of the gas supply (25% of the UK's supply passes through the Humber). Linked opportunities and implications for renewable energy, especially BECCS and offshore wind (both of which the Humber leads on and are integral to decarbonising industry), will also be identified.

Supporting UK leadership of decarbonisation technologies and the creation of local jobs and supply chains are crosscutting themes where HCP will identify future actions the Humber can take to accelerate the green recovery, including identifying opportunities for inward investing businesses and those looking to diversify to take advantage of low carbon infrastructure.

HCP and the evidence base that will be assembled through its development will provide a clear way forward for industry, Government and local leaders to work together to achieve rapid decarbonisation of the UK's largest cluster, whilst maximising opportunities for local people and businesses to benefit from the transition.