Over 200 delegates including leaders across local government, industry, and academia gathered at Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford on 16 July for The East of England Net Zero and Climate Change Conference.

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport UK (CILT UK) were partners in hosting the event alongside England’s Economic Heartland (EEH), Local Government East (LGE), and Transport East (TE). 

Representing the Institute were Chair of the Board, Anna-Jane Hunter FCILT, who spoke as a Keynote at the conference and Chair of CILT’s Eastern Region, Graham McAndrew CMILT.

The conference theme, "Powering Change Through Collaboration," set the tone for a region-wide commitment to collaborative climate action and net zero transformation.

It explored some of the region’s most pressing environmental challenges, from coastal erosion and rising sea levels to extreme water stress and rapid housing growth.

The conference was also not short of showcasing innovative solutions and regional strengths in sustainable energy and rural resilience.

This was demonstrated as keynote speakers, Sarah Mukherjee MBE Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA), Kristen Green Crown Commercial Service, and Iain Stewart CBE (former Minister) empathised the urgency of integrated, locally driven solutions.

Highlights of the day included:

•Cross-sector workshops on clean energy, net-zero transport, climate-resilient housing, and rural and coastal adaptation.

•Policy-focused panels on devolution and climate funding mechanisms

•Collaborative sessions laying the groundwork for a Regional Net Zero White Paper to be submitted to Government.