On June 11th, the IPPR hosted an insightful Webinar on ‘Securing a green recovery from Covid-19.’ With lockdown restrictions easing across the UK, plans for recovery are creeping into the agenda, and the presentations provided wide ranging considerations for a green approach. The talk focused on the positives, and opportunities for integrating environmental elements into the UK's recovery plan. Below are some of the key takeaways. The speakers were:
Ed Miliband MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
Alexander Stafford MP, Member of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy Committee
Baroness Brown of Cambridge; Chair of the Carbon Trust; Deputy Chair of the UK Committee on Climate Change; and the UK's Low Carbon Business Ambassador
Angela Francis, Chief Advisor, Economics & Economic Development, WWF UK; Member of IPPR Environmental Justice Commission
Luke Murphy, Head of Environmental Justice Commission, IPPR
Alexander Stafford MP
The argument has been won – the world is going towards a net-zero economy. The question is no longer ‘should we go there’ but ‘ how do we get there?’
This is a transition and we all have to work together - not just NGOs, but also businesses, and Government
We need to retool the economy, businesses, and our thinking
We have a perfect opportunity – what sort of economy are we going to have in the decades to come
The UK has a huge advantage – we have technical abilities, people who are skilled and ready to go
But we have to be realistic – countries like China, Germany already have advantages in certain areas. Where do we find our niche – where do we excel above everyone else e.g. hydrogen, off-shore wind turbines?
We need the whole government to embrace these ideas – provide financial models, backing and sell this agenda
The Government should go out to trade fairs to showcase what we sell. Germany is on the front foot at trade fairs, saying ‘we have the technology’
The green economy could be as significant as the Industrial Revolution
It must be transition – we shouldn’t have huge shift overnight. This is what happened with coal mines. Instead, we need to bring people with us
There's too much ‘doom and gloom’ – we should be more climate positive, the future is exciting
The PM is a big fan of the environment – we should make sure the Government keeps a focus on the environment through the crisis
Green technology makes your life better – that’s what we should be selling
Ed Miliband MP
We’re doing this to make a green transition, and build back a better economy
We’re hosts of COP26 – there’s an obligation to show there is a way of making your economy green as an exemplar to others
There is an absolute imperative to act boldly
We need to have consistency of approach and make investments as green as we can
In this crisis we've seen how private and state sectors have worked together as never before
Inaction costs more than action – not acting on the climate/ economic crisis will cost much more down the road
GDP isn’t a good measure of economic prosperity – it doesn’t show where money is going. We need much broader measures of how we’re doing as a society
We need a net-zero test – everything Government does as part of recovery passes through this test
It's bad value for money if everything you do takes you away from the green economy
The antipathy to onshore wind doesn’t make sense environmentally or economically – you need onshore wind as part of the mix. The tumbling costs of renewables is incredible
DIT should be at the forefront of how we make sure the environment is at the centre of any trade deal we do with the US
You don’t want to introduce taxes that are regressive on people – to take people with us we’ve got to make sure it’s progressive, not regressive
If you think about challenges of jobs programmes, whatever programme the chancellor proposes will require adaptation to local circumstances
This is about people having better lives
Baroness Brown
The Committee for Climate Change produced 6 principles for resilient recovery
We need scientific-led evidence on key risks
We should invest heavily in training – move people from high carbon to low carbon jobs
Tax policy could aid transition and incentivise
Adaptation should be a big part of our recovery
Increasingly in wealthy nations GDP is not the right measure, we can’t always be driving GDP everywhere, we don’t have enough resources.
Angela Francis
It is now about shaping a stimulus package with a green agenda and making it work for people in all segments of society
It should be jobs-led, moving businesses towards net-zero
We need a net zero test/ resilience rule for policies
We can change the way we view public finances and shape the economy to reduce climate risk in the future
The IPPR's next webinar 'Are we ready for Environmental Breakdown?' will be on Wednesday, 24th June at 16:00-17:30 - register here.