Towards achieving net zero by 2050 in the UK – stakeholder perspectives in integrated urban planning

In light of severe risks of extreme conditions arising out of global warming, the push towards sustainable development and management of our resources has been a topic of immense interest globally. The UK’s recent promise of reducing all greenhouse gas emissions to Net Zero by 2050 is a highly challenging and ambitious one, that involves radically changing how urban environments are planned, managed and developed. This paper is a first attempt at understanding how major cities in the UK are currently prepared at addressing this challenge. We report on findings based on interviews with seven local authorities, highlight some of the key challenges and barriers and offer recommendations.