North Yorkshire receives £6.75m boost for carbon negative projects
Region aims to pioneer climate solutions, becoming England’s first carbon negative area
More than £6.5 million has been awarded to innovative projects across York and North Yorkshire as part of the Carbon Negative Challenge Fund, with the region aiming to become England’s first carbon negative area by 2040.
The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority announced the recipients today, and additional projects are expected soon.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, expressed ambition for the region: “We’re working towards being the first region in England to reach carbon negative by 2040."
Grants are directed to organizations demonstrating innovative strategies for lowering greenhouse emissions, enhancing carbon capture, and promoting sustainable technologies.
Among funded projects is the North York Moors National Park, receiving over £388,000 for initiatives in Bransdale, Raisdale, and the region’s peatlands.
Briony Fox, Director of Conservation at North York Moors National Park, highlighted the significance: “This funding... enables us to deliver three ambitious, collaborative projects... supporting sustainable farming, low-carbon land use, and peatland restoration.”
Scarborough-based SeaGrown received a grant of £673,100 to grow and harvest kelp for sustainable marine products.
Co-founder Wave Crookes noted the impact: “Together, we can harness one of Yorkshire’s greatest natural assets—the sea—to help decarbonise key industries.”
HECK! Sausages, based in Bedale, was granted £104,000 for a project converting animal bones into carbon negative fertiliser, supporting regenerative farming and sustainability.
James Ashford, HECK!’s Head of Procurement, said, “This funding helps us champion regenerative farming... turning what might otherwise go to waste into something truly valuable.”
The Carbon Negative Challenge Fund follows the success of the Net Zero Fund, with six programmes allocated funding from a £30 million distribution over four years per the region's devolution deal.