Pathways to a Zero Carbon Oxfordshire
Pathways to a Zero Carbon Oxfordshire (PAZCO) Report
West Oxfordshire District Council has contributed, along with other Oxfordshire councils and partners, to a recently published ‘Pathways to Zero Carbon Oxfordshire’ report. The PAZCO report was created by the University of Oxford’s Environmental Change Institute, alongside leading sustainability organisation Bioregional, and backed by the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Parnership (OxLEP). The document is intended to serve as an evidence base to support the county in planning and implementing its next steps for reaching net-zero.
The report outlines three distinct pathways to net-zero by 2050: Societal Transformation, a bottom up strategy relying on community action and householders adopting new technologies and practices; Technological Transformation, which relies on investment at a national level in technical solutions with minimal change from individuals; and Oxfordshire Leading the Way which combines cultural and behavioural change with high deployment of solar PV for local electricity generation.
The report also explores the implications of net-zero on the local economy. It highlights the expertise and key players that already exist in Oxfordshire, focusing on areas of innovation in energy, transport, land-use, and housing sectors. It also looks at key challenge areas where investment is needed, modelling future trends and presenting different approaches to a transition.
See: Pathways to a Zero Carbon Oxfordshire report
Project LEO
Project LEO (Local Energy Oxfordshire) is a collaborative project running a number of energy trials in the county. These innovative trials aim to develop technologies and services that will support a decentralised, zero-carbon energy system. Project LEO have taken the key energy findings from the PAZCO report and presented them as a series of interactive maps, available here: Mapping Oxfordshire’s Energy Transition
The maps aim to serve as tools for place-based planning. They show vulnerable areas and neighbourhoods that require tailored interventions for issues such as fuel poverty, off-grid heating, and inefficient homes. Project LEO have also mapped areas suitable for renewable energy generation and electric vehicle charging points.