AN ambitious decarbonisation plan which will create jobs for the region has received £1.7m.

The Government support is for the Humber Cluster Plan which will show how the cluster can achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040, potentially making it the first in the world to do so.

This joint bid by the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership and CATCH also involves eight private sector partners including Drax, British Steel, Centrica, Equinor and National Grid Ventures.

The project, totalling £2.6m, will move the Humber closer to achieving large-scale decarbonisation.

A wider group of businesses will be involved in developing the plan, with all energy-intensive industries in the Humber invited to take part.

Stephen Parnaby, chair of the Humber LEP, said: “We are thrilled our funding bid for the Humber Cluster Plan has been successful.

"This is a significant opportunity to achieve industrial decarbonisation at a large scale in our region, which has the potential to protect important jobs while helping us to achieve our net zero ambitions by 2040."

David Talbot, CEO of CATCH, said: “CATCH membership represent some of the UK's highest CO2 emitters and we look forward to developing the regions ambitions to deliver a plan that is central to tackling the net zero challenge.

“Our industry in the Humber region is strategically important and today’s announcement will ensure that existing industry is sustainable, whilst attracting new innovative green businesses to the region and upskilling, protecting and creating jobs for the local community.”