As co-hosts of COP26 in Glasgow in 2021, the world is watching the UK to see how we will show our commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement. It may be tempting to talk about new technologies that demonstrate our engineering prowess. But the scale and urgency of the challenge means it is technologies we already understand well that can make us “world-leading” on climate action. Where will world leaders be taken to see row upon row of deep retrofit terraced houses, car-free cities where walking and cycling dominate, new onshore wind farms delivering cheap electricity?
The Climate Change Committee shows that most changes needed to get us to net zero require active engagement of citizens. Surveys of UK public attitudes by the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformation show over 70 per cent think climate change needs addressing with an “extremely high” or “high” level of urgency. This has actually increased during the Covid pandemic. Results from the UK’s Climate Assembly show support for changes across our lives, such as a frequent flyer levy and changes in diets.
