Bright Blue, the independent think tank for liberal conservatism, and WSP, the leading engineering professional services firm, have today published a major essay collection,Delivering Net Zero,which outlines radical new ideas for how the UK can deliver on its net zero commitment by 2050, with contributions from nearly 40 leading chief executives, politicians, academics and thought leaders from across the private, public and third sectors.

The essay collection from Bright Blue and WSP argues that delivering net zero is both an environmental necessity and an economic opportunity. It rejects the argument that the transition to net zero requires vast amounts of government spending and intervention, highlighting instead the progress that has been made on decarbonisation to date, and could further be made in the future, through well-regulated markets with sensible incentives from government.

The essay collection offers analysis and ideas across nine key areas: transport; land; utilities; buildings; industry; waste; finance; government; and, innovation. The publication provides inspiration to politicians, policymakers, and practitioners in advance of the Conference of the Parties (COP) 26 in Summer 2021 to implement innovative programmes and policies to ensure the UKs market-based economy can meet its net-zero commitments.

Bright Blue and WSP believe that COVID-19 has strengthened the case for action on the challenge of this century climate change. Governments, businesses and communities need and will be expected to do more to mitigate and build resilience to disruptive crises, such as global warming and extreme weather events.

The collection includes contributions from Nigel Wilson (Chief Executive, Legal & General Group), John Holland-Kaye (Chief Executive, Heathrow Airport Ltd), Peter Jelkeby (Chief Executive, IKEA UK & Ireland), Tony Juniper CBE (Chair, Natural England), Christine McGourty (Chief Executive, Water UK), Richard Walker (Managing Director, Iceland Foods), Nicholas Boys Smith (Co-Chair, Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission), Graham Stuart MP (Minister for International Trade), George Freeman MP (Former Minister for Transport), Ben Houchen (Mayor, Tees Valley), Professor Michael Grubb (Professor of Energy and Climate Change, University College London), Barny Evans (Sustainable Places Director, WSP), and many more.

Patrick Hall, Researcher at Bright Blue and report co-editor, commented: The UK has reduced its emissions by just over 40% since 1990 at the same time as its economy growing by 75%. A market economy can and should deliver deep decarbonisation. But achieving net zero emissions by 2050 is by no means an easy feat. Large parts of the UKs economy remain rooted in fossil fuels, and hard-to-abate sectors present the greatest challenge to decarbonisation.The coronavirus crisis should act as a catalyst for governments and businesses to urgently do more to address the challenge of this century climate change. The transition towards net zero is often seen as requiring vast amounts of government-led investment and intervention. Yet, this neglects the progress that has been made on decarbonisation to date and could further be made in the future through well-regulated markets with sensible incentives from government. This Conservative Government needs to examine and promote how market-based reforms could yield substantial economic and environmental benefits in the journey to net zero.

Mark Naysmith, Chief Executive at WSP UK, commented: Ensuring that big societal ambitions get delivered is what drives our planners, engineers, environmental consultants and technical experts. To us, there is no agenda greater than mitigating climate change and environmental degradation.Delivering net zero will be a team effort. As WSP is involved in all aspects of the built and natural environment, we felt it was important to convene some of the best minds from business, academia and government to explore how this agenda should be delivered, offering constructive ideas to move forward.The net zero agenda is an opportunity to build back better, level up the country, boost our national resilience and attract new talent into the built and natural environment , as well as being a societal duty. WSP is committed to being carbon neutral by 2025 and advises both national and local government as well as private organisations on sustainable practices, and I felt this collaborative essay collection would be a timely contribution to the national conversation on delivery.

Key policy ideas offered in the essay collection include:

The policies advocated by particular individuals are not necessarily supported by other contributors to the essay collection.

John Holland-Kaye, Chief Executive of Heathrow Airport Ltd, commented: Climate change is the greatest challenge facing our generation. The race to decarbonise our economy is one that we will always wish we had started sooner and run faster. Aviation is a force for good in the world and the advent of affordable air travel has changed our lives beyond recognition. Our challenge is to protect the benefits of aviation in a world without carbon.

Nicholas Boys Smith, Co-Chair of the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission, commented: One of the most energy intensive, carbon non-neutral things we humans do is build a building. The embodied energy in the bricks of a typical Victorian terraced house could drive a car more than ten times around the world. Reusing such a house rather than destroying it could significantly reduce its lifetime energy consumption.

Peter Jelkeby, Chief Executive of IKEA UK & Ireland, commented: In a world of growing inequality, climate emergency and resource scarcity, its evident that a better life can only mean one that respects the limits of the planet. Climate change is no longer a distant threat, but a visible reality. Its one of the biggest challenges that humanity faces and its affecting the lives of millions of people around the world.

Barny Evans, Sustainable Places Director, WSP, commented: Delivering net zero may well be the agenda through which local government regains its purpose as an agent of change. Theyre suddenly in the driving seat of one of the most progressive, radical and complex transformational agendas of our time.With two thirds of local authorities declaring climate emergencies, they have started to shift the dial away from target setting and signalling to action, and partnerships with business and the community to deliver will now be key. They are telling us that the real challenge will be around funding and maintaining community support, and were keen to help unlock that.

Graham Stuart MP, Minister for International Trade, commented: The world faces a formidable challenge in tackling climate change. The UK is uniquely positioned to lead the green industrial revolution and build prosperity as a result. We must continue with domestic policies that drive increased R&D, innovation, emissions reductions and first mover advantage in the UK, but also ensure that our dedicated trade department, DIT, seeks to remove trade barriers, strengthens the global trading system and maximises low-carbon UK exports for the benefit of both the planet and British prosperity.

George Freeman MP, Former Minister for Transport, commented: As we face the immediate threat of large-scale death, disease, economic damage and societal disruption, the issue of climate change might seem an irrelevance. Indeed, the combination of empty streets, clean air, satellite images of vanishing smog and the urgent need to restore global economic growth is already leading some to dismiss the green agenda as a luxurious indulgence we can ill afford. They are profoundly wrong.We would be wiser to treat the COVID-19 crisis as a warning of what happens when we take resilience for granted.

Nigel Wilson, Chief Executive of Legal & General Group, commented: Climate change, like the COVID-19 pandemic, is a challenge that will require a superlative effort combining: the best thinking provided by science, public policy, and economics including behavioural economics; the most effective delivery and implementation, by the public and the private sectors; and, the application of huge financial resources, where again there are both public and private sector elements.

Richard Walker, Managing Director of Iceland Foods, commented: The recent COVID-19 pandemic has shown us the devastating impact on people and communities of our carbon-emitting economy stalling. We still clearly need to reduce emissions, but now more than ever we need to do so in a way where some of the potentially negative consequences on peoples lives are mitigated and minimised.

Professor Michael Grubb, Professor of Energy and Climate Change at the University College London, commented: Renewable energy has surpassed all expectations. From their childhood of the 2000s, renewables have emerged in the 2010s as the boisterous, energetic and optimistic teenagers of the energy revolution, with offshore wind as the biggest and strongest for Britain, yet still visibly immature. A renewable future beckons, but leaves no room for complacency.

Read more:

Bright Blue and WSP: Net zero more urgent than ever for government and business - Rail Professional Magazine