Modern Building Services

8 MODERN BUILDING SERVICES APRIL 2021 NEWS ANALYSIS T wo years ago, when the UK became the first major economy in the world to pass binding legislation committing to net zero Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, the growing climate crisis was the overwhelming challenge facing our world. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic over the past year may have changed the focus of global governments, but the collective response has shown that it is possible for nations to come together to collaborate in the interests of all society. Scientific communities from all over the world have been working in partnership to develop vaccines in a moment where science and research has led the way. Later this year, at the COP26 summit in Glasgow, the UK Government is hoping to deliver a similarly unifying moment in the fight to decarbonise the world. The aim of this pivotal conference, which will call on countries to back more ambitious carbon reduction targets, will be to find ways to help economies adapt to climate change, and harness innovation in a bid to drive down carbon emissions to net zero. The UK has some success in this area. Since 1990 the total UK GHG emissions have reduced by 44% with the energy supply sector accounting for around half the overall reduction up to the end of 2019. Ambitions to continue this trend were set out in November in the Government’s ‘Ten-point plan for a green industrial revolution’ which in addition to energy supply and other infrastructure initiatives puts an onus on businesses, public sector organisations and individuals to make buildings “greener, warmer and more energy efficient”. But is this enough? The latest budget report from the Climate Change Committee reveals that if we are to meet net zero by 2050, at its current rate, action is not happening fast enough. Their recommended pathway sets out a 78% reduction in UK territorial emissions by 2035, bringing forward the UK’s previous 80% target by nearly 15 years. To do this, the report sets out a route map for the UK that suggests reducing demand for carbon intensive activities, improving efficiency, taking up low-carbon solutions, offsetting emissions, and societal change. Since its launch the Government has been light on detail on its 10-point plan, they had already announced some funding including the Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund in October that was only open for applications for 3 months. For energy-intensive sectors including pharmaceuticals, steel, paper and food and drink the second wave of the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, which supports the development and deployment of new technologies, was confirmed in February. Whether the central Government funding, spread across both heavily polluting industries, the public sector, and small businesses alike, will be enough to encourage significant carbon emission reductions remains to be seen. But time again, we are reminded that if we are to deliver these ambitious plans and tackle climate change, everyone needs to play their part with or without funding. So, what does that look like? Limitations to businesses and organisations There are a number of factors holding businesses back from change. As highlighted recently in the BSI’s Net Zero Barometer, 8 out of 10 organisations feel they need As we see a pathway out of the pandemic, TEAMEnergy’s Head of Consultancy, Timothy Holman examines what the Government’s net zero ambition reallymeans to UK businesses and, in a countdown to the climate change summit, COP26, considers how they can be part of the journey to decarbonisation. Planning for a green future, looking past the 10 - Point Plan