Strategy & Research

Our ambition is to become the UK’s first carbon-negative region by 2040.

This means making a transition to renewable energy sources, utilising all of our assets and materials, and enhancing our natural capital. By doing so, we can create green growth; creating new jobs, new innovative businesses, and presenting new opportunities for existing businesses.

Learn more by reading our Circular Economy Strategy.

Our Carbon Abatement Pathways illustrate our steps towards achieving our carbon-negative ambition.

We have identified the five most carbon-intensive sectors in York and North Yorkshire – buildings, transport, industry, power, and land use and agriculture – and outlined a clear pathway to our climate goals. Further information about our Carbon Abatement Pathways can be found in our 2021 Annual Report.

Our local energy strategy outlines our plan to bring businesses, communities, and public bodies together to develop investable projects for clean energy generation, improved efficiency, and a low-carbon future.

View local energy strategy

Natural capital underpins our economy. In October 2019, we commissioned a study to understand the value of natural capital to the local economy and to understand the risks of “business as usual”.

The research found that natural capital supports 10.9% of GVA, making a significant contribution to sectors such as agriculture, tourism and food manufacturing, whilst also supporting skills retention, inward investment, and the physical health of the workforce across the wider economy.

Key recommended priorities from the research include:

• Achieve a 2.9MtCO2e increase in GHG sequestration and improve biodiversity by 2050, with an increase in the quality and quantity of priority habitats such as woodland, peatland, species-rich grassland and wetland, and the priority species reliant upon these habitats.
• Grow our natural capital economy by 31% by 2050, worth £946m in GVA, through the expansion of existing direct industries, such as forestry and tourism (increasing by 102% and 33% respectively), as well as supporting the growth of indirect industries such as food manufacturing and bio-tech (by 8% and 136% respectively).
• Develop healthier communities and improving the wellbeing of our workforce through increased access to green space, which enables recreation, active travel and more inclusive environments. In addition, good quality urban green infrastructure attracts inward investment and talent, as well as improving welfare.
• Improve our climate change resilience in the event of floods, heat waves and/or droughts in the region, which also provides cost savings to both businesses and residents.
• Take a catchment area approach to flood mitigation considering both upstream investment alongside flood alleviation work.
• Improve our air quality, leading to reduction in deaths related to air pollution.
• Improve our water quality, due to reduction in pollution incidents and sedimentation.

To move forward our work in this area, Y&NY LEP are working with partners to co-design an approach to develop a Natural Capital Investment Plan for the region.

In order to fully understand the opportunities for green growth our unique region presents, we must conduct research into our natural resources and how best to support businesses in becoming sustainable. Our research demonstrates the methods and techniques we are capitalising on in order to create a greener, fairer, stronger York and North Yorkshire.

Biobased Construction

Carbon Abatement Pathways

Clean Growth

Local Energy

Low Carbon

Natural Capital

The North East and Yorkshire region is well positioned to lead the UK development of biobased manufacturing and construction

The built environment is responsible for almost 40% of global energy-related carbon emissions. If we intend to halt the progress of the climate and ecological breakdown, we must find new ways to design and to build.

Substituting carbon intensive technical materials with regenerative resources and materials from the biosphere, which absorb and store natural carbon – has become a key approach to decarbonizing our built environment. The techniques and technologies for biobased manufacturing and construction are well established, but the infrastructure and frameworks are not established in scale to support them.

The North East and Yorkshire region is well positioned to lead the UK in this shift. Not only could this reduce the overall carbon impact of construction within the region, but it could also produce tangible positive outcomes, including improvements in biodiversity, indoor air quality and the safety, security and desirability of jobs in construction. It could also lead to a range of wider benefits, including the re-shoring of jobs in the supply chain and the creation of opportunities for regional investment.

For more information and research into biobased construction within the region, please read our full report.

Heating homes and businesses has hit the headlines over the last few months, with prices for gas and electricity skyrocketing, impacting the most vulnerable in our society and causing pain for businesses just as they began to recover from Covid impacts.

Although there are a range of fixes being rolled out to lessen the impact in the short-term, from a strategic level, the decarbonisation of heat provides us with a long-term opportunity to decouple the provision of warm homes from global oil and gas markets. This is a key strand of the York & North Yorkshire Routemap to Carbon Negative, which aims for a range of low carbon technologies to be deployed based on the most cost-effective option for each locality, such as heat pumps, hydrogen and heat networks.

In January 2022, the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) kicked off a pilot programme of Heat Network Zoning, which will geographically designate and then legislate for the rollout of low-cost, low-carbon heat networks that supply heat for a number of buildings. Northallerton is one of the 28 pilot towns and cities, and Y&NY LEP has been working closely with North Yorkshire County Council and Hambleton District Council to test the methodology. The pilot will be focused on the town itself, and will run throughout 2022.

The pilot consists of modelling that matches heat availability with heat demand, using available data on where heat is currently an unutilised or waste product (e.g. from water courses, industrial processes, geothermal strata or large energy users), and where heat is needed (e.g. homes and businesses, large heat users such as swimming pools and hospitals). As well as using public data, we’re keen to incorporate data direct from Northallerton’s businesses and large property owners.

If you would like to contribute to the project, please email Katie Privett at [email protected] and use the subject line ‘HNZ Northallerton’.

By being part of the pilot, public bodies and participating businesses in Northallerton will benefit from an understanding of the likely lowest cost route to low-carbon heat for their buildings, early insight into the heat network zoning process, and the opportunity to shape the delivery of a future heat network in your town.

This document sets out the Skills Strategy for York and North Yorkshire, 2021 to 2026.

The strategy has been developed in collaboration with our partners and stakeholders and using detailed labour market analysis commissioned by the LEP to understand the supply and demand for skills and evidence of mismatch and market failure. This strategy sets out a 5 year plan to address local skills challenges and raise productivity, earnings and performance in a greener, fairer, stronger economy.

A comprehensive overview of strategy, achievement and ambition produced by the York & North Yorkshire LEP skills team on behalf of the local Skills Advisory Panel for York & North Yorkshire. This refreshed version of the original Local Skills Report published in April 21 takes into account the impact of Covid-19 and is set within the context of a new government policy relating to Levelling up and Devolution.

For our 2021 report, please see our People & Skills Research tab.

Research is vital in understanding the needs of individuals, communities, and businesses. Our People & Skills research explores the various ways in which we can provide support for our region, and the opportunities for development presented to us as we work towards a greener, fairer, stronger future.

Adult Education Budget

Community Learning

Digital Skills

ESIF Impact

Fourth Industrial Revolution

High Performance Working Practices

Labour Market Analysis

Local Skills Report

Low Carbon

Progression Routes to Level 2

Reskilling and Upskilling

Supporting NEETs

Transferable Skills

Additional Reports

Our 21st Century Towns report highlighted digital connectivity as a priority for our region, especially in the wake of the last year.

In February 2021, a £3m investment was approved to provide digital support to the York and North Yorkshire region. This includes public wi-fi in up to sixteen market towns, and ultrafast fibre broadband to six business parks. This investment will allow more people to access economic opportunities, and boosts the productivity of up to 500 businesses, which in turn enhances our region’s economy and reputation as a place to invest in.

View the report and watch the complementary video below, which explores our vision for 21st Century Towns in the region.

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Our research allows us to identify the opportunities our towns and cities provide, meaning we can capitalise on them, reshape them, and build towards a greener, fairer, stronger future for the region.

21st Century Towns

Historic Environment

This report builds a better understanding of the historic environments of York, North Yorkshire and the East Riding. It’s a stocktake of the area’s incredible heritage and highlights wide-ranging opportunities for good economic growth. It’s also a call to action for thinking and acting differently.

Written during the pandemic, the report – a joint commission with Historic England – highlights the resilience, potential but also vulnerability of the area’s historic places. There is a need to adapt to changing times, and that includes decarbonisation and the effects of climate change.

The work also highlights how people, places and the economy benefit from a well-maintained historic environment. Conservation and adaptation of historic buildings has major benefits in terms of sustainability, can contribute to regenerating town centres and can help unlock local economic opportunities. Findings also shine a light on the strong diversity of York, North Yorkshire and the East Riding’s historic environment, rich with clear and distinctive character, underpinning the area’s identity. Indeed, it is this distinctive character that makes the area such as great place to live, work, study and visit.

Heritage is an important driver for good growth, and we hope this report will act as a catalyst for change. A Heritage and Culture Strategy Group has been formed, drawn from the project and other regional partners, to guide strategy, target investment and drive delivery. This work carries importance further afield too, as York, North Yorkshire and the East Riding area – comprised of cities, market towns, coastal towns and rural landscapes ­– can easily be viewed as a microcosm of the UK.

This report is very much the start of a process. It can be a blueprint for levelling-up heritage, creating a better understanding and appreciation of the region’s historic environment, attracting investment and ensuring that heritage priorities are reflected in stakeholders’ plans and delivery actions.

View the full report.

Change in Agriculture is constant – so planning for the future can be a daunting process. 

Grow Yorkshire delivers initiatives aligned under 4-strategic pillars ensuring alignment with partners and the needs of Yorkshire based farming businesses are met.

1. Environment

The relationship between agricultural production and the environment is increasingly essential to modern profitable and sustainable farming.  Grow Yorkshire provides access to specialist information and support to help Farmers understand policies and plan for the future. 

2. Innovation

Through Partners, Grow Yorkshire connects farmers with farming research working with leading agricultural colleges, researchers and businesses to develop the knowledge and technologies that will make modern farming more sustainable, resilient, and productive.

3. Well-being

Grow Yorkshire bring together experts who ensure Farmers’ physical and mental health and wellbeing aren’t pushed to one side. We provide access to support which help Yorkshire Farmers stay safe and healthy on the farm and combat rural isolation.

4. Skills

Technology is becoming more central to even the most traditional roles in agriculture. Grow Yorkshire collates resources covering Business and Individual skills to help existing and future Yorkshire Farmers as they transition to delivering environmental benefits alongside food production. 

Research is at the heart of innovation. In order to help businesses evolve and thrive, we are conducting research into the pathways they can take, to make sure they and we are fully informed before making crucial business decisions.

Internationalisation Strategy

As part of the evidence base for the York & North Yorkshire Plan for Growth, research concluded in March 2022 to identify high growth potential sectors of the economy – based on gathering intelligence (official and commercial data) and insights from stakeholders to identify the key sectors; and by developing profiles on the key priority sectors with relevant actions to stimulate growth potential. The key sectors are : 

• Agri-Food Innovation
• Sustainable Energy and Bioeconomy
• Health, Pharma and Life Science Innovation
• Digitech, Data and Creative Industries
• Advanced Manufacturing
• Rail and Rail Technology 

Further development work is being undertaken to support these key sectors to realise growth potential, but will focus on two themes – new investment and resilience/sustainability, to support the “Greener Fairer Stronger” aims for the York and North Yorkshire economy. 

Read the full report here.