{"id":1849,"date":"2018-10-19T12:50:54","date_gmt":"2018-10-19T12:50:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/sussexenergygroup\/?p=1849"},"modified":"2018-10-19T13:43:39","modified_gmt":"2018-10-19T13:43:39","slug":"anniversary-climate-change-act","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/sussexenergygroup\/2018\/10\/19\/anniversary-climate-change-act\/","title":{"rendered":"Reaching the tipping point: 1.5 degrees and the 10th Anniversary of the Climate Change Act"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last week showed that the full impacts of climate change are approaching us faster than thought before. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 degrees<\/a> sending a message that we need to act now, not tomorrow. The previous plan to curtail global temperature change to 2 degrees is too risky, and the IPCC posits we need to aim at 1.5 degrees instead to reduce the impacts of climate change on ecosystems, human health and well-being.<\/p>\n

This week, which is also the Green Great Britain week<\/a>, I participated in the Annual Conference<\/a> of Energy UK<\/a> held in Westminster, London. I was invited to a panel discussing the \u201c10th\u00a0Anniversary of the Climate Change Act \u2013 celebrating successes and preparing for the future\u201d, <\/em>alongside Chris Stark<\/a>, Chief Executive of the Committee on Climate Change, Tony Juniper<\/a>, Executive Director for Advocacy and Campaigns at WWF UK, Jillian Ambrose<\/a>, Energy Editor of the Telegraph, and Shirley Rodrigues<\/a>, the Deputy Mayor of London. The conference was well attended by diverse energy industry actors, and the discussions addressed the future of energy generation, the Electricity Market Reform<\/a>, the power of data and democracy and the needs of customers.<\/p>\n

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The UK Climate Change Act<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Climate Change Act<\/a> has been \u2013 and still is \u2013 a visionary policy that is extremely important for the directionality <\/em>that is needed in energy systems change, as well change in other associated sectors such as housing and mobility. This is because companies need policy developments they can foresee <\/em>and anticipate in order to invest and innovate in green solutions meeting future policy requirements. The binding framework of the Climate Change Act, reaching over electoral cycles, is a crucial enabler of this kind of directionality for innovation.<\/p>\n

However, we need more than technological change to transition away from a high-carbon energy system. We also need changes in institutions, practices and culture. The Climate Change Act, coupled with the Committee on Climate Change as an independent statutory advisor, has been an important institutional innovation to drive transition to a low-carbon economy.<\/p>\n

Especially in its early years, the Climate Change Act resulted in a lot of momentum for change in businesses and communities. For example, regarding low energy homes, we have seen business innovation in terms of new cooperatives emerging, established construction companies piloting sustainable construction and new energy services being set up. In turn, cities and communities have seen the emergence of informal networks and the spread of learning on zero carbon new build, whole house retrofits and community energy. These changes were further supported by zero carbon homes and retrofit policies until 2015.<\/p>\n

Losing momentum<\/strong><\/p>\n

To maximise impact the Climate Change Act needs to be coupled with a mix of both cross-sectoral and sector-focused policies addressing heat, buildings, mobility and industry to create new markets for low and zero carbon solutions. The latest progress report<\/a> of the Climate Change Committee highlighted the success in decarbonising the UK\u2019s power sector, but also noted the lack of similar efforts in housing and mobility. The significant policy cuts in 2015 concerning renewable energy and low energy homes have reduced many companies\u2019 incentives to invest in green energy solutions and slowed down market creation for energy efficiency. We lost a bit more of the momentum that existed 8-10 years ago. Even before this, rapid policy changes and complex policy mixes<\/a> have caused uncertainty for a range of actors.<\/p>\n

Partly similar points as those above were raised by the keynote speakers in the conference. Paul Massara<\/a> from Electron<\/a> said that industry and investors need clear signals of the direction of travel \u2013 some already provided by the Clean Growth Strategy and the phase-out plans. Rachel Reeves MP<\/a>, the Chair of the BEIS Select Committee<\/a> stated that constructing large scale energy infrastructure requires much greater policy stability from the government than we have seen so far.<\/p>\n

The UK low-carbon energy transition: challenges and opportunities<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are several conclusions that can be drawn from this event. The UK energy industry has progressed well in decarbonisation so far but also acknowledges the challenge ahead; calling the UK government for consistent policies regarding the direction of energy system change.<\/p>\n

\"energy\"<\/p>\n

So what are the things that could be improved, in terms of policy? I suggest the following:<\/p>\n