The mayor is in Rio De Janeiro this week for the C40 World Mayors Summit, as she joins leaders from around the world to push for more action on climate change.
She will speak to some of the world’s most prominent city leaders ahead of the landmark COP30 climate conference, and will champion West Yorkshire’s leadership on climate action, which has seen over £300 million leveraged into cutting emissions over the past five years.
The conference will push for bolder action on climate change, to create jobs, cut energy bills and drive economic growth.
Some of the flagship investments in clean power include a programme which funds businesses to green their processes and save on energy bills, and a programme that makes solar panels and home upgrades more accessible and affordable for local households, in turn supporting the creation of skilled, green jobs.
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire said: “West Yorkshire is proving that net zero does not have to mean extra costs for hardworking families, it can mean better-paid jobs, lower bills and more vibrant communities for all.
“By investing in skills, working with businesses and backing innovation in our booming green sector, we’re powering new industries and pushing ahead to meet our target of a net zero West Yorkshire by 2038.
“I’m joining London mayor Sadiq Khan in Rio this week to show that with devolution, we no longer have to sit around and wait for national leaders to rescue us from the cost of living and the climate crisis, we can take bold action ourselves to deliver real change.”
West Yorkshire’s green economy is one of its fastest growing sectors, already being worth £8.1 billion, supporting over 53,000 jobs across 3,000 businesses and is set to grow by 37% by 2025/26.
The region also has a Local Growth Plan, which is adding to this success by backing businesses to access finance, skills and markets, helping them to create more well-paid careers in clean energy.
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority has approved 62 projects, generating over 2.75 million kWh of renewable energy, saving 1,000 tonnes of CO2 per year in its drive to help small and medium sized businesses to decarbonise their processes.
Another way they are trying to reach net zero, is by implementing a programme to insulate every social home in West Yorkshire, with over 4,000 homes receiving free upgrades since 2022, along with low-interest loans for private homeowners to invest in green technologies that reduce energy bills over the long term.
Plans are also progressing for an energy efficient, fully integrated transport system called the Weaver Network. This will include the full electrification of its publicly-run bus fleet, one part of a reliable and affordable Mass Transit system which will encourage people to get out of their polluting cars and use public transport.