The economics of low carbon cities – A mini-Stern review for the city of Bristol

This report reviews the cost and carbon effectiveness of a wide range of the low carbon options that could be applied at the local level in households, industry, commerce and transport. It then explores the scope for their deployment, the associated investment needs, financial returns and carbon savings, and the implications for the economy and employment.

It does this for the City of Bristol, an area with a population of 450,000 people, an economy worth £14 billion a year and an energy bill of £870 million a year. Whilst highlighting the very significant and commercially viable opportunities for the decarbonisation of the city– and the potential economic benefits associated with these – the report also recognises the scale of the challenge, the need for investment and the requirement for investment vehicles and delivery mechanisms that can exploit the potential for significant change.