Alliance Lord Mayor, Councillor Kate Nicholl has hosted the Mayors of Manchester, Liverpool and Dublin, in the next step of the four cities commitment to working together to tackle climate change.

The Dublin lord mayor Alison Gilliland, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and Liverpool city region mayor Steve Rotheram joined Belfast Lord Mayor Kate Nicholl for a day of engagements, framed around current efforts to decarbonise transport, heat and industry.

Allowing the Mayors and officials to engage with key stakeholders, the event also allowed the group to travel by hydrogen bus to an eco-primary school (Forge Integrated), an environmental business (Catagen) and Translink Milewater Zero Emission Service Centre.

Kate Nicholl said: “Following a meeting with Andy Burnham in Glasgow during COP26, I saw how most of the ambitious climate action was being driven by cities, and in the absence of leadership from a national level, it was up to us to provide it.

“I have already been working with the Lord Mayor of Dublin on the Belfast-Dublin Economic Corridor and saw the opportunity for our cities to collaborate on an issue which affects us all.

“I am conscious that my term of office is only one year and I am keen to see mechanisms put in place to ensure continued collaboration, we will formalise our commitment to working together.

“I am hopeful that in working together we can learn from each other, but also raise our ambition. Post-Brexit there is also hope to be drawn from cities across these islands working together on crucial issues.”