Business could offer a lifeline to the River Tyne’s beloved kittiwakes through a floating nest as part of a new regional investment scheme for nature recovery.
Newcastle-based BeaconHouse Events is among the businesses that have invested in projects via the North East Carbon and Nature Marketplace that was launched by Mayor Kim McGuinness earlier this year.
They’ve provided £2,000 of funding to support two biodiversity projects along the River Tyne. One of them wants to create a floating kittiwakery – an artificial nesting platform designed to help this much-loved and nationally protected seabird thrive.
Businesses can invest in nature via the North East Carbon and Nature Marketplace, enabling initiatives across the region like the Newcastle Floating Ecosystems, which aims to diversity wildlife, improve water quality and bring people back to the water’s edge. The Marketplace also offers carbon credits for companies looking to offset their carbon emissions.
Developed and supported by Net Zero North East England – a collaboration between local government, business, education, the public sector, and civil society – the Carbon and Nature Marketplace will help businesses reach Net Zero targets and generate investment in environmentally positive projects in the region.
By supporting nature recovery, or investing in carbon reduction projects through purchasing carbon credits, organisations will be creating green jobs and supporting green housing, biodiversity and innovation within the region.
Sarah Thackray, BeaconHouse Events Founder and Director said the Marketplace helps businesses to connect to their communities.
“Being a small business, the challenge is investing in something meaningful, something that makes a difference to the community and reflects our values. By investing in projects via the Carbon and Nature Marketplace, we can generate impact closer to home and invest in projects that make a difference to our local customers and neighbours.
“We’ve always taken a local approach to sustainability, volunteering time to support projects and donating to organisations that have a genuine impact on our own communities. It’s rewarding to get involved with local projects, and lots of businesses already do. Now, with the Carbon and Nature Marketplace it’s a simple process to achieve impactful community outreach. There is such a strong community of passionate SME’s in the North East, and together there is opportunity to tackle local issues, whilst limiting impact on the planet.”
North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness promised the North East Combined Authority would purchase carbon credits on the marketplace to offset last year’s Net Zero North East England Annual Summit.
The credits that have been purchased will fund energy-saving upgrades to social housing, heating upgrades and insulation.
HACT works with social housing organisations who will deliver the upgrades to homes across all seven local authority areas in the North East, helping reduce energy bills, and positively impact wellbeing, for the people who need it the most.
North Tyneside Mayor, and regional Cabinet Member for Home to the Green Energy Revolution, Karen Clark said:
“We know that businesses across the North East are keen to play their part in reaching Net Zero and we’re making it easier for them to do that.
“The North East Carbon and Nature Marketplace gives businesses the chance to support green projects right here in our region, from planting trees and restoring peatlands to creating new habitats for wildlife.
“Businesses can back retrofitting schemes to make homes more energy efficient, so we can cut bills for our residents while helping the environment.
“This work is central to our vision of a greener, fairer North East, one that leads the way in sustainable industries and creates good green jobs for the future.”
Antoine Pellet, Head of Retrofit Credits at HACT said funding from businesses is needed to accelerate sustainability projects in the region.
“The marketplace enables businesses to take action and offset their emissions hyper-locally by purchasing credits and investing in projects like ours. It is so easy to use, and you can see what you’re funding and the impact it has both with carbon emission reduction but also with positive social value delivered.
“Thanks to investment via the marketplace, we’re already making a difference, assisting with the delivery of retrofit projects across the region, making homes more energy efficient, and cheaper to heat and improving people’s lives. But we need more businesses to follow suit, to enable us, and projects like ours to continue to make a difference.”
The marketplace currently has more than 10,000 carbon credits available for purchase and other investible carbon reduction and nature recovery projects seeking, in total, over £11m worth of support. They include social value projects North East Community Forest, FareShare North East, and Northumberland Community Energy, and two major peatland restoration projects.
To find out more, visit marketplace.netzeronortheastengland.co.uk