cop26

A Net-Zero Emissions Economic Recovery from Covid-19 (Briefing)

• A Net-Zero Emissions Economic Recovery from COVID-19

As the world emerges from the crisis of Covid-19, governments will introduce recovery packages to boost economic growth, including in the UK. These will have a highly significant impact on the UK’s future prosperity, including its potential to meet its legally mandated net-zero emissions obligation. Collectively, the packages will strongly influence whether the global Paris Agreement targets are met.

This briefing identifies ten fiscal recovery policies which promise to bring both short-term high economic impact, and long-term structural change through decoupling greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from economic growth.

Check out our podcast on this briefing with guests Professor Cameron Hepburn, Smith School Oxford University, and Dr Jennifer Allan, University of Cardiff.

Image credit: Image by Stephen Yang / The Solutions Project. Licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Just Transition: Pathways to Socially Inclusive Decarbonisation (Briefing)

• Just Transition: Pathways to Socially Inclusive Decarbonisation

Various protests in recent decades have highlighted the importance of an integrated approach that accounts for the environmental, economic, social, cultural and psychological dimensions of the transition to a post-carbon economy. Covid-19 serves as a stark reminder that socio-economic disruptions tend to worsen social inequalities, with pandemic policies disproportionately affecting low-skilled workers, minorities, women and other vulnerable groups.

Against this backdrop, it is increasingly recognised that the transition to a post-carbon economy needs to be green, sustainable and socially inclusive. This briefing outlines what kind of governance policies, modalities, institutions, spaces and actors will be required to make sure that the transition is socially inclusive and supported by citizens.

Image credit: Image by International Renewable Energy Agency is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Carbon Offsetting for UK Higher and Further Education (Briefing)

• COP26 Universities Network Carbon Offsetting Briefing
• COP26 Universities Network Carbon Offsetting Briefing Supplementary Information

This briefing note provides guidance to support the development of further and higher education offsetting policies. It specifically discusses the use of offsetting in the context of net zero strategies.

The authors are also using this briefing to consult on the approaches to carbon offsetting that different FHE institutions are taking. To input into this sector consultation please go to this form. 

Image credit: Image by StockSnap from Pixabay.