Today Blyth is home to many renewable energy facilities and businesses, and its future is linked to Net Zero planning and policymaking at local, regional, and national scales. But while Blyth’s pioneering efforts have helped the UK renewable energy sector to take off since 1993, many in the Blyth communities have struggled since the closure of the mines in the 1980s.  For many Blyth people feeling 'left behind' creates a divergence of outlook from the Net Zero vision.

This interdisciplinary study sought to address this dissatisfaction felt by local people who do not feel properly heard in development decision-making processes, and feel excluded from the benefits of development.

Currently, most decision-making power for the Net Zero transition is held by technical experts and regional policymakers advised by experts. Though the experts are knowledgeable, they may not know what life is like for people in places like Blyth. This increases the possibility of an ‘unjust transition’.

To counter this, the authors developed an arts-led approach to Net Zero policymaking in Blyth which helps people to feel comfortable to contribute to addressing the issues that they feel are relevant and important to them and communicating their perspective to the experts.

While conventional Net Zero policymaking uses complex language which often excludes people from discussions and decision-making, the authors use more inclusive language and tools to create policymaking processes that work ‘with’ rather than ‘for’ communities and places, taking account of deep local knowledge and considering not just what people think but what they feel.

Recommendations

• Adopt co-production methods: use arts-led approaches during Net Zero planning processes to access emotional and local knowledge and expertise for policy development.
• Implement a "Politics of Listening": move beyond token consultation toward listening in creative ways to bring together and communicate community hopes, needs, values and concerns before introducing technical and planning solutions.
• Build trust in the early design for Net Zero projects: rather than waiting to engage the communities when decisions are being taken or have been finalised, begin with a clear sense of the community hopes and needs before formulating policy and delivering projects.
• Ensure equitable investment: distribute Net Zero benefits to residents, particularly addressing energy poverty in areas where renewable energy is produced.
• Protect community assets: recognise and strengthen existing community-led actions and networks rather than building around them or replacing them.
• Reinstate access and support for blue and green spaces for the benefit for human and wildlife wellbeing, health and resilience.
• Build dialogue between the pipeline of talent required for the clean energy sector and Blyth communities, and in so doing widen participation.

For further queries email Anthony.zito@ Newcastle.ac.uk