CarbonFreeports: Freeports as opportunities, not threats, for place-based decarbonisation. Final report.

UK Government strategy on Levelling Up seeks to stimulate economic development in coastal, rural and peri-urban regions, including the former industrial towns and cities of the North of England. Under former Chancellor Rishi Sunak, the Freeport strategy was one key element of this regeneration strategy. Freeports are special economic zones that provide a range of tax and customs benefits within a geographically bounded region. The aim of the Freeport is to stimulate economic growth by reducing the economic friction created by customs and tax systems resulting from the UK’s exit from the European Union. Moreover, Freeport sites are intended as innovation hubs to spur regional development in (among other industries) low carbon technologies. This project explores the concept of CarbonFreeports – examining policy alignment between the Freeports strategy and UK Government commitments to low carbon investment towards Net Zero goals. CarbonFreeports provide a platform from which to explore the role of Freeports in stimulating low carbon forms of mobility, and innovation in transport infrastructure development, planning and practice, and examining the socio-economic and environmental
justice implications of current Freeport investment. Using a qualitative empirical research approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews with key regional stakeholders in Teesside and Liverpool City Region Freeport plans and held
workshops and webinars for further exploration and development of CarbonFreeport futures.