Greening the Economy

Projects

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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 blogs related to the work of GIPC, written by the commissioners:
  '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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  Publications

  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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  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.
  
  We will be 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: energy, buildings, food and mobility.
  
  Tech Task Force members are HVM Catapult, Innovate UK, Gambica, Schneider Electric and Ramboll.
  
  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.
   

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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