Green Innovation Policy Commission

Projects

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  TransformTax project Transforming the UK tax system for environmental good
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  TransformTax project Transforming the UK tax system for environmental good

  The current economic system is founded on ever increasing consumption of goods and services, with little consideration of the impact this has on the planet or well-being.
  
  In the UK, the average citizen is responsible for around 12 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year. This is a long way from the net zero lifestyle we need to adopt to meet the Paris climate goals.
  
  Around 45 per cent of these emissions are associated with imported goods and services, and another 35 per cent are from UK-produced goods and services.
  
  The Global Footprint Network estimates the average UK resident has an ecological footprint – including the use of resources – that is three and a half times their share of the natural world’s productive capacity.
  
  Our consumption patterns have to change if we are to address the climate and ecological emergency. At the moment, many feel that they pay a ‘green premium’ to make environmentally beneficial purchasing decisions, with organic food, energy efficient domestic appliances and eco-friendly cleaning materials, for example, consistently more expensive than traditional alternatives. This makes them inaccessible to people on lower incomes and is preventing wider uptake. 
  
  In this project we are examining the opportunities for the tax system, and VAT in particular, to help people make more sustainable choices. By building on our experience with citizen’s juries, we want our proposals to benefit the environment while also taking the concerns of ordinary people into account, which are too often ignored by Westminster.

  Confirmed members of the TransformTax advisory board are:

  • Arun Advani, assistant professor in economics and impact director of the Centre for Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE) at Warwick University.
  • Sam Fankhauser, director at LSE’s Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.
  • Dominic Hogg, chairman of Eunomia Research & Consulting.
  • Hector Pollitt, director and head of modelling at Cambridge Econometrics, the global economics consultancy.
  • Lorraine Whitmarsh, professor of environmental psychology at University of Bath, and director of the Centre for Climate Change & Social Transformation (CAST).

  
  This project has been made possible with the generous support of the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust.
   

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  Tech Task Force Policy solutions for clean growth across the UK
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  Tech Task Force Policy solutions for clean growth across the UK

  Green Alliance’s Tech Task Force brings businesses and innovation organisations together to identify how ambitious policy and the right rules and regulations can accelerate the adoption of technologies to help businesses across the UK grow their profits at the same time as reducing their environmental impact.
  
  Businesses are confronted with global trends towards digitalisation and the drive towards low carbon and resource efficiency. Smart technology is a powerful way to achieve clean growth and bring business resource costs down, but limited uptake is preventing UK companies from realising the opportunities.
  
  Although the UK has set out the ambition for digital innovation and clean growth in its industrial strategy, little attention has been given to how they will be delivered. The Task Force exists to address the policy vacuum.

  Green Alliance launched the new Tech Task Force in September 2018 at an evening reception addressed by Claire Perry MP. See here for a set of supportive statements.

  The Tech Task Force is putting the spotlight on technological solutions that help to strengthen businesses through greater resource efficiency, rebalancing the UK economy and revitalising manufacturing in the regions. The Tech Task Force will, therefore, be focusing on four major sectors that underpin regional economies outside south east England.
  
  ​The first report, Smarter transport: a digital revolution for electric vehicles and mobility services, highlights how digital technologies could help put UK businesses at the forefront of new low carbon transport industries and how policy can drive their adoption across the sector. We will also be looking at energy, buildings and food.
  
  A smarter way to save energy is the second report from the Tech Task Force. The policy insight explores how the adoption of digital technology can transform the delivery of energy efficiency across UK businesses and highlights three areas of policy action to ensure that buildings and industry across the UK can cut energy bills and carbon emissions. 
  
  In our third report, Smart building, we explore the role of digital technology is futureproofing UK buildings. From better building design to offsite retrofit, from predictive maintenance to material tracking and reuse, digital technologies can help accelerate the transition to low carbon construction and the upgrade of existing buildings for a net zero future. Their adoption will also support greater industry productivity and new jobs across the country.
  
  Tech Task Force members are HVM Catapult, Innovate UK, Gambica, Schneider Electric and Ramboll.

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  Publications

  • Smarter transport: a digital revolution for electric vehicles and mobility services13 November, 2019

  Events

  • Tech Task Force launch12 September, 2018
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  Green Innovation Policy Commission Businesses and academics accelerating green innovation
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  Green Innovation Policy Commission Businesses and academics accelerating green innovation

  The Green Innovation Policy Commission (GIPC) brings together progressive businesses and leading academics to identify how policy can best support green innovation across the UK economy and reward the innovators, entrepreneurs and investors who generate value from the solutions to the global environmental challenges we’ve committed to addressing.
  
  Over its year-long programme, the GIPC will:

  • Inject new thinking on how policy can most effectively promote and support green innovation
  • Create a new public dialogue between policy makers, academics, and business leaders on the challenges and opportunities around economic growth directed at green innovation.

  The Commission is chaired by John Cridland and brings together UCL academics, progressive businesses, and representatives from the Aldersgate Group and WWF. The research is led by Prof Paul Ekins and UCL academics, and supported by Green Alliance.
  
  Find out more about GIPC on our dedicated web page.
  Read our media advisory here.
  
  The first GIPC event was held on 26 November 2019 where an expert panel discussed how UK infrastructure can accelerate innovation for a green economy. Speakers included John Cridland, Laura Sandys, Angela Francis, Dr Jenifer Baxter and Paul Ekins.
  
  Find below a series of perspectives from the commissioners on why we need policy change to foster green innovation.
  'Push and pull is needed to green our economy' by Angela Francis
  'Six insights on accelerating innovation to reach net zero' by Nick Molho
  'From ambition to action: why new policy will be vital for green innovation' by John Cridland 

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  Events

  • Green innovation through infrastructure delivery26 November, 2019
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  Clean local growth Putting local areas at the heart of the clean growth agenda
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  Clean local growth Putting local areas at the heart of the clean growth agenda

  There is a clear opportunity for local areas in England to take the initiative in developing innovative and clean ways to grow the economy. Green Alliance and Localis’s consortium on clean local growth sought to investigate what places can do straight away, and what they need to be able to do, to unlock routes to clean growth in their area.
  
  Our final report laid out an England-wide analysis of clean growth challenges, opportunities and policy options, ascertained through a series of engagement events and expert interviews. We provided pathways and direction for local stakeholders to work together to respond positively to the issues they face in moving to a low carbon economy and recommendations to central government as to how it could assist this process. Read the full report here: 'The route to clean growth: Using local industrial strategies to drive change'. 
  This project was produced in partnership with Localis, West Midlands Combined Authority, ENGIE and Cornwall council. 
  
  The clean local growth report was successfully launched on the 23rd October where the reports' findings were showcased and opportunities debated through organised workshops. We hope to revisit this subject in 2020 and would be keen to hear from other organisations with an interest in clean local growth.

  For more written pieces on the project, read our blogs published as part of our work Clean local growth.
  "Putting local areas at the heart of the clean growth agenda" by Caterina Brandmayr
  "Why are local councils’ green building ambitions being held back?" by Roz Bulleid

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  Industrial strategy Driving low carbon and resource efficient growth
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  Industrial strategy Driving low carbon and resource efficient growth

  The UK’s industrial strategy aims to improve the performance of UK businesses, increase productivity and create good quality jobs across the country. Global demand for low carbon energy infrastructure is rising and businesses are increasingly recognising their exposure to carbon and resource risk.  The industrial strategy will only succeed if it fosters low carbon and resource efficient growth.
  
  Our January 2017 report, infographic and animated infographic set out the three elements needed for an industrial strategy to be successful: 

  • Raise the baseline: to build UK manufacturing competitiveness by using product and process innovation to radically improve energy and resource efficiency.
  • Futureproof: to ensure that leading UK business sectors remain competitive by developing goods, services and processes that will be in high demand in a low carbon, resource efficient world.
  • Double down: to focus on sectors that have the potential to deliver both high productivity and decarbonisation, to foster world class new industries in the UK.​

  In April 2017, our collection of essays, Industrial strategy fit for the future: perspectives on building a competitive UK economy, brought together the views of seven respected thinkers from politics, business, trade unions and academia on the kind of economy the industrial strategy should be building and the role low carbon and resource efficiency can play. Essay authors included Sir Vince Cable, Carolyn Fairbairn of the CBI and Paul Nowak of the TUC.
  
  Our final report, Lean and clean building manufacturing excellence in the UK, demonstrated how a government supported manufacturing upgrade programme, which helps businesses to identify and capitalise on resource efficiency opportunities, is needed to spread best practice and stimulate investment and innovation. A joint statement alongside five leading business organisations states that the government could add £10 billion to manufacturing sector profits and ensure good jobs remain in the UK. 

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  Publications

  • Industrial strategy fit for the future: perspectives on building a competitive UK economy5 April, 2017
  • Why a successful industrial strategy will be low carbon and resource efficient30 January, 2017

  Events

  • Prosperity after Brexit: a UK strategy for resources12 September, 2016
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  Shifting to a low carbon economy Can the UK retain its global leadership?
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  Shifting to a low carbon economy Can the UK retain its global leadership?

  Once at the forefront of exporting low carbon services and expertise, we consider how the UK can maintain high standards of low carbon industry at a time when the UK will be negotiating its new relationship with the EU, as well as creating trade deals with countries around the world.
  
  Our June 2016 analysis, produced in conjunction with CAFOD, Christian Aid, Greenpeace, RSPB and WWF, makes recommendations for how government can restore the country as a market leader. The themes presented in the report were discussed by a panel of experts at our event 'Will the UK succeed in a low carbon world?' including Lord Mandelson who delivered the keynote speech.
  
  In November 2017 we produced a new infographic, UK trade in a decarbonising world, in which we look at how well the UK is positioned for low carbon trade and highlight key sectors where there are weaknesses. We also make recommendations for how the government can address them. This report was also accompanied by an event, Trade in a decarbonising world: where the UK can lead, which had a keynote speech from  BEIS Minister Claire Perry MP.

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  Publications

  • Will the UK economy succeed in a low carbon world?9 June, 2016

  Events

  • Trade in a decarbonising world: where the UK can lead29 November, 2017
  • Will the UK succeed in a low carbon world?9 June, 2016