Two London projects in Climate Positive programme

Two projects in London — Albert Basin, East London, and Elephant & Castle, London Borough of Southwark — are among 16 founding projects of the Climate Positive Development Programme, a Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) programme supporting the development of large-scale urban projects to demonstrate that cities can grow in ways that are “climate positive.”

Real-estate developments in Climate Positive cities will aim to reduce their on-site carbon dioxide emissions to below zero.

Former President William Clinton launched the Climate Positive Development Programme today at the C40 Summit in Seoul, South Korea.

Last year, for the first time, half the world’s population — 3.2 billion people — lived in cities, and that figure is expected to grow to 70 per cent by 2050. While cities occupy just 2 per cent of the world’s land mass, they are responsible for more than two-thirds of global energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. How cities change and grow is therefore a critical component to tackling the climate crisis.

“It is superb news for London that two of the capital’s most innovative low-carbon redevelopments have been selected by President Bill Clinton’s Climate Initiative to be showcased on a world stage,” said London Mayor Boris Johnson. “Close cooperation of this kind between cities across the world is absolutely key to us cracking the mutual threat of climate change. Today’s announcement proves London is already well-placed to create a low-carbon economy to take advantage of the new jobs and improved quality of life that this will deliver for city dwellers.”

Leader of Southwark Council, Cllr Nick Stanton, said he was delighted the council’s approach to sustainability in regeneration had been recognized.

“Southwark Council is regenerating some of the most deprived parts of the UK, and we are doing it in a pioneering way that means more homes, but no more carbon emissions,” Stanton said. “For the best part of a decade this council has been looking into ways to ensure that the work that it does has the least impact on the environment. We have now set up MUSCo, a Multi-Utility Services Company, which will deliver a low-carbon infrastructure to over 6,000 new homes and businesses across the entire Elephant and Castle regeneration area — one of the biggest projects of its kind in the UK.”

Stanton added, “Carbon neutral heating, electricity, water and IT will all be delivered to homes as the regeneration rolls out, and design development and the first stages of implementation have already begun. MUSCo will help the council achieve significant carbon positive targets as the infrastructure is extended to other estates.”

The London Development Agency-owned Albert Basin sites sit at the eastern end of the Royal Docks, adjacent to Gallions Reach Docklands Light Railway station. A number of the sites have already been developed for industrial and residential use and the LDA has been working with the London Borough of Newham and Design for London  to prepare a master plan for the residential led mixed use development of the remaining sites. It is the LDA’s intention to dispose of these sites by way of development agreements to secure the delivery of sustainable communities with an appropriate mix of tenure and unit size and minimal environmental impact.

The Elephant & Castle project lies in the 170-acre regeneration opportunity area within the London Borough of Southwark. The £1.5 billion development aims to create a new district for Central London, to include thousands of new homes together with a substantial retail offering complemented by a new park, tree-lined streets, high-quality green open spaces and a traditional seven-day market, which will provide training opportunities and new jobs for the immediate community.

“Elephant & Castle is one of the most significant regeneration schemes in Europe and one which Lend Lease is proud to be part of in collaboration with Southwark Council and the Clinton Climate Initiative,” said Dan Labbad, CEO of Lend Lease Europe. “Not only is it a unique opportunity to create a lasting legacy for London, it also presents us with the chance to set a new benchmark for sustainable development globally and positively influence how the built environment of the future impacts in climate change.”

Other Climate Positive communities include Melbourne, Australia ; Palhoca, Brazil; Toronto, Canada; Victoria, Canada; Ahmedabad, India; Jaipur, India; outside Panama City, Panama; Pretoria, South Africa; Johannesburg, South Africa; Seoul, South Korea; Stockholm, Sweden;; London, UK ; San Francisco, USA and Destiny Florida, USA.