ANDY Burnham has announced his ambition to make Greater Manchester one of the leading green cities in Europe.

The metro mayor has revealed that a landmark Green Summit will be held in spring 2018, led by an expert panel of some of the brightest environmental minds in the UK.

The panel will be asked to lead a public debate on how plans can be developed to achieve carbon neutrality across the region as quickly as possible.

Mr Burnham said: “Today is an important day, not only for the people of Greater Manchester, but their children, grandchildren and generations to come.

“I want to bring people together to debate if we are doing enough on climate change.

“By building a low-carbon economy in Greater Manchester, we will put ourselves in a strong position to attract more jobs and investment.

“Greater Manchester absolutely has the knowledge, radical thinking and resources to deliver on this; we’ve a wealth of academic research and practical know-how to tackle this issue head on, if we put our minds to it.”

Alex Ganotis, leader of Stockport Council and Greater Manchester’s lead for environmental issues and climate change, has been given the task of overseeing the project.

He added: “I am incredibly proud to lead this revolutionary project that will transform the lives of people in the city region.

“This will take Greater Manchester to a different level that will rival green cities across the world and make the region much more appealing to prospective investors, doing wonders for the environment and the economy.

“It is very exciting to be working with a panel of experts who will be involved in the public debate to learn the thoughts of both businesses and residents in the region.”