Countdown to COP26 - the UK's Net-Zero Strategy

In the final of our Countdown to COP26 series, we’re looking at the UK’s newly published Net-Zero Strategy, which sets out for the first time how the UK Government plans to deliver on its commitment to decarbonise the UK by 2050.

This Strategy was published just last week, in the final stages of preparation for the landmark UN COP26 summit starting on Sunday in Glasgow. At the summit, the Prime Minister will be calling on other world economies to set out their own domestic plans for cutting emissions and ensure that this year's COP is a “turning point for humanity”. But will our own Net-Zero Strategy measure up? 

In this blog, HIba Alaraj takes a closer look at what the Strategy says about decarbonising transport and heating, and identifies some of the questions that, for us at DG Cities, remain unanswered. 

The UK recently published its strategy for achieving net-zero by 2050. The strategy highlights targets and ambitions for a variety of sectors and activities within the UK, including transport & heating.  

Transport greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the UK account for 27% of total GHG emissions. These are mainly generated by car travel. In response to this, the UK’s net-zero strategy will ban the sale of fossil fuel vans and cars by 2030 to reduce emissions by a minimum of 65% and and accelerate the transition to electric forms of transport. 

The ban itself is a positive step forward, however, vehicle electrification is challenging and for electric transport to be fully enabled, a number of other elements need to be put in place, in particular electric vehicle charging infrastructure. 

Currently, just 1% of all vehicles on UK roads are electric. With fossil-fuel-powered vehicles being phased out, this number needs to scale rapidly! The Net-Zero Strategy includes commitments to use £350m to build a competitive zero-emission vehicle supply chain and “ensure the UK automotive industry is at the forefront of the transition” - and a further £620m to sustain the rollout of charging infrastructure, focusing specifically on residential on-street charging and targeted plug-in grants. This will add to the £1.3bn pledged in November 2020 for charging infrastructure.

Here at DG Cities, we are fully supportive  of these commitments and investments. Up until now, local authorities using government funding have supported charge point installations through various means, with some regional models, such as the Source London network, also being established. But with the massive increase in scale that is necessary, what will delivery models look like going forward - and what role should local authorities be taking in that delivery?  

There are particular challenges that need to be solved in rural areas, such as the ability of the electricity distribution network to support new charge points. So how should the local authority’s role vary to take into account these types of challenges? These are questions that we are actively thinking about and working with councils to answer, so that we can help them to plan for the future.

But we need to remember that the lowest emitting journeys are those that are not done by private vehicle, whether it’s electric or otherwise. And as individuals, we can also help to reduce transport emissions with our daily commutes by choosing to walk or cycle, or for longer journeys, by choosing public transport.  

The net-zero strategy also sets targets for decarbonising heating, which accounts for a large portion of the UK’s emissions. For instance, housing GHG emissions account for 15% of the UK’s total GHG emissions, and this is mainly from heating and cooking. To reduce these emissions, the UK will ban the sale of gas boilers by 2035, and will instead encourage the installation of low carbon heating systems such as heat pumps in both homes and workplaces. The government aims to install 600,000 heat pumps a year by 2028, in an effort to meet its net-zero commitments. But a major barrier to this target is the upfront cost of heat pumps. To mitigate this, the government will offer a £5,000 or £6,000 grant for households to upgrade their existing gas boilers with air or ground source heat pumps respectively. But this will only go part of the way towards the cost, and of course with ground source in particular,  there are other major operational barriers to consider. 

Another major issue is that the budget allocated to this scheme will only finance approximately  90,000 heat pumps in total. The gap between that number and 600,000 is substantial. To meet the target of installing 600,000 heat pumps per year, we need to urgently fund ways to lower the cost of installation for homeowners and we need a larger pool of money to ensure that a greater number of households are able to bridge that funding gap between gas and renewables. 

To ultimately reduce heating emissions within the private and public sectors, it’s crucial that we also ensure that buildings are properly insulated, and with a large proportion of the UK’s building stock being of solid wall construction and requiring more expensive external insulation, again, proper financial and technical support will be crucial.

Overcoming these barriers and filling in the policy gaps will be crucial to the delivery of the strategy and ensuring that the UK stays on target to meet its obligations. 

With COP26 just around the corner, there’s mounting pressure on global world leaders, including the UK, to present climate action plans that are clearly defined and impactful. Here at DG Cities, we will be keeping a close eye on the Net-Zero Strategy and, as ever, will be thinking of what we an organisation can do.

Why behaviour change must be front and centre at COP26

In the second of our ‘Countdown to COP26’ series, Head of Research and Service Design, Ed Houghton highlights the importance of behaviour change in delivering on the promises made at COP26…

With COP26 fast approaching, a lot of attention will be on world leaders to make firm commitments on reducing emissions to limit the effects of climate change. And whilst many announcements will centre on the benefits of new technologies, such as electric vehicles on our roads, or heat pumps in our homes, many observers might not recognise that the key component in delivering all of these is public behaviour. Whilst behaviour may be implicit in climate change conversations, to create real action, COP26 must make explicit the important role behaviour change will play in the journey to reducing carbon emissions.

The value of behaviour change interventions in reducing emissions is clear. Work published by the UK’s Climate Change Committee highlights that 62% of the UK’s net-zero goals have a behaviour component. This means that it’s not simply a case of “build it and they will come” – the logic can’t be “install electric vehicle charge points and they’ll be used.” The knowledge, motivations and behaviours of the public also play a critical role. To create lasting change, world leaders will need to support the public to shed old, damaging behaviours, and adopt new, more sustainable ones.

The case for action is increasingly apparent. This summer, record-breaking floods in China’s Shanxi province displaced nearly two million people. Across the Mediterranean, record-breaking summer heatwaves caused numerous wildfires. These events are signalling that climate change is already underway, and these examples will no doubt be part of the conversation at this week’s summit. But too often, these events are seen as separate or disconnected from the day-to-day lives of citizens. This is one challenge that policy makers and civic leaders will need to overcome.

Persuading individuals that their actions can make a difference

Although many Britons now say they are concerned about climate change, many feel powerless to make a difference. This is a huge challenge. To shift public behaviour, we must look at what the public can do, and show them that their actions really can make a difference. This is why the conversations at COP26 must permeate far beyond the “four walls” of Glasgow’s SEC and make clear what actions key institutions, such as local authorities and big business can take.

One important outcome must be that climate change is framed as a long-game, but it consists of short- and medium-term actions – we should focus on future gains over short-term pain. Doing this can be hard: thinking about sustainability as longer-term time horizons can make meaningful action harder to visualise and deliver on.  As the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted, people often live in the immediate, and in crises find it difficult to look further ahead. As the climate crisis unfolds, this will become even more difficult, which is why action is needed today.

For local authorities, their attention will be on what the UK government commits to, and the extent to which their own strategies and priorities can be aligned to meet these targets. As major institutions, local authorities have the insights and access to communities that can make a real difference. They must play a central role in leading their communities towards adopting the best net-zero behaviours.

What this looks like in practice will differ according to the context and people’s needs. For example, the behaviour barriers to improving recycling rates will be different to the barriers to improving uptake of electric vehicles. Another positive outcome of COP26 will be leadership as to where to focus effort and where to invest resources.

Evidence-based behavioural change

Finally, if climate action is to result from COP26, leaders must make use of real evidence showing what works and doesn’t work in tackling climate change through behaviour change interventions. There is a wealth of evidence, including work by the Behavioural Insights Team, that highlights the behavioural nudges that can lead to real world changes – whether they’re nudges to help the uptake of electric vehicles, through to communications campaigns to improve recycling rates. Evidence of what works is out there, and at COP26, leaders should look to highlight what works today as well as make bold and ambitious statements about the future.

It is clear that COP26 comes at a crucial point and will rightly demand the world’s attention. World leaders have a unique opportunity to define collective action for the benefit of the climate – and define what collective responsibility looks like for nations and communities across the world. But to make collective action a reality, leaders must make clear the important role individuals play, and the potential they have to positively influence the way our climate is adapting around us.   

Meet Ash, our new Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Specialist!

We are buzzing to share the news that we have a new team member, Ash Burton, who will be leading on all things electric vehicles as our Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Specialist. Read on to learn more about Ash’s route to DG Cities and the exciting projects she’ll be working on…

I’m thrilled to have joined the team at DG Cities to start a new chapter as their Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Specialist. My academic background in environmental geography and career in consultancy feel like the perfect match for the challenge.

My interest in how innovative technologies can support sustainable development started at Northumbria University in Newcastle. After graduating, I headed south, to London, to start my career as an Electric Vehicle Consultant, working with local councils to identify and develop databases of locations for charging points. I was also lucky to have a secondment to the Behavioural Change team at the London Borough of Waltham Forest to help facilitate their cycle hangar programme. This insight into the workings of the council will stand me in good stead - the team’s experience collaborating with local government is one of the things that sets DG Cities apart.

I have joined DG Cities at a great time - we’re starting three exciting new EV projects, involving fleet electrification, expanding electric mobility and improving charging solutions. And I have been out and about already! Last week, I was down in the South West with Kim, working on our Rural Electric Mobility Enabler (REME) project, which is funded by Innovate UK and aims to explore some of the barriers to and opportunities for growing electric mobility in rural areas. One of the specific challenges in a county like Devon is managing high demand for charging points during the busy summer months. DG Cities is working with Devon County Council, EDF Energy, Bonnet and Field Dynamics to promote and support electric mobility growth and build more confidence in accessing charging points through innovative solutions. Our mission is to understand what residents and visitors need to feel confident choosing electric vehicles - and how and where these needs could be met.

My first few weeks have been truly amazing and completely reinforced my desire to work in the sector. The team has been really welcoming too - I’m enjoying working with everyone in person, now that we have started to venture back into the office. Over the next few months, I’m looking forward to drawing on my own experience, learning and exploring new opportunities in the world of electric vehicles. I can’t wait to see what my next chapter at DG Cities brings!

If you would like to learn more about how we help clients harness the potential of technologies like EV, please get in touch at [email protected].

Urban Innovation at the Front Line: September at DG Cities

After the excitement of August (read all about it here if you haven’t already), September had a lot to live up to. But it more than rose to the occasion, with an action packed month of events, conferences and awards.  So, today on the blog we’re rounding up the highlights that made this an especially memorable month.

After 18 months of virtual events and conferences we were excited but also a little bit nervous to be heading to Cenex. Those in the mobility industry will know that Cenex  is one of the big events of the year, with a large technology exhibition, an incredible speaker programme and options to see and sometimes even to go for a spin in the latest new low carbon vehicles.

But this year’s event wasn’t just about listening and exploring. Not one but two of our CAV research and development projects were there - Projects Endeavour and D-RISK - and it was amazing to see the projects side by side in the Innovate UK area.

D-RISK has a big goal: to create the world’s largest library of driving “edge cases” - situations that are unusual or unexpected but could be dangerous. These can then be used in simulation to train autonomous vehicles, ensuring they can safely respond and manage these situations on our roads.   It was fascinating to be at Cenex and discuss our objectives from this project with an extremely well informed group of people. We were also happy to collect some new and unique edge cases along the way - one from an ambulance driver about the perils of trying to navigate past drivers wearing headphones and another from a motorcyclist who was unlucky enough to be behind a wobbly grain-spilling combine harvester.   If you’re interested in knowing more about the project and our research into public perceptions around AVs then check out our recently published Insights report here.

Another highlight from September was the Connected Britain conference. Our Head of Telecoms Mark Pearson was there to hear the latest on next generation broadband technologies, including fibre and 5G. We were thrilled to be in the running for a Digital Skills award in recognition of our work reducing digital exclusion in Greenwich as part of the Community Champions project. Sadly the top prize wasn’t ours but went to a very deserving St Mungos project. 

We had more luck elsewhere as this month we learned that DGC was named Innovator of the Year at the SME Energy and Power Awards. Thanks to SME News for the recognition!

We’ve got an extremely busy next few months lined up and to help us on the way the team is growing again. We are looking for a behavioural scientist interested in cities, inclusive tech and sustainability.  If that sounds like you  then check out our jobs page. 

Countdown to COP26

You’ve probably heard a lot about COP26 this year and might wonder what it is and what it might mean for you. We’ve taken a closer look and have outlined below why COP26 is one of the most important events in the global climate change policy agenda:

What is COP26? 

We’re nearly a month away from this year’s United Nations’ Conference of Parties, COP26, a global leadership summit on climate change topics. 

This year’s climate change conference will take place in Glasgow, Scotland, with the UK acting as a president of COP26. World leaders - alongside negotiators, government representatives, businesses and citizens - will visit Glasgow on October 31st for twelve days of important discussions about the global climate change crisis.

Why is it crucial? 

In 2015  the Paris Agreement was signed in which global leaders committed to developing plans called National Determined Contributions (NDCs), outlining how they would reduce their emissions.

COP26 marks five years since the signing of the agreement. 197 countries will be required to update their NDCs with much more stringent and ambitious targets that will ultimately aim to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees by 2050. This process will occur through negotiations between the different countries. 

In detail, at COP26: 

1. Countries will present ambitious 2030 emissions reductions targets that align with reaching net zero by 2050.

2. Countries will present plans demonstrating how they are adapting to climate change. Countries will need to support citizens that are most affected by climate change. 

3. Developed countries must present $100 billion in climate finance to support developing countries meet their net-zero commitments.  

4. The UK, as COP26 President, must negotiate and finalise rules that will enable the Paris Agreement commitments to be met. 

Why do we need to act now more than ever? 

Recently, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published the sixth assessment report on climate science, which summarises the physical science for climate change from thousands of peer-reviewed studies. 

The report is stark and ominous, and provides strong evidence to demonstrate that humans are responsible for causing this widespread climate destruction, much of which is irreversible. The impacts of climate change can no longer be ignored. 

The report also highlights that the current NDCs outlined by countries to achieve net-zero are not sufficient enough to keep warming below 2 degree celsius; further proving why COP26 is so important. 

The IPCC stresses that if net-zero CO2 emissions are not reached by 2050, and there isn’t an overall reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions, then the 1.5 and 2 degree limits set out in the Paris Agreement will be reached before 2040.

Reaching net-zero requires collective effort from countries to shift to renewables, and to reduce emissions from practices with a high global warming impact: agriculture, particularly meat farming, fossil fuel production and waste management. 

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions will help us minimize the catastrophic weather risks of global warming - including sea level rise, glacier melting, rainfall, floods and droughts. 

DG Cities and Net-Zero 

 DG Cities is an innovation company that is focused on supporting cities and communities to capitalise on the benefits of technology and data. As a company we have  worked on a number of major projects relating to the transition to a low-carbon future ranging from net-zero housing, decarbonisation and fleet electrification (Birchmere & ERCV), to support local councils such as the Royal Borough of Greenwich meet their carbon reduction targets. 

In recognition of our work in electrification we’ve also recently been awarded further funding that focuses on fleet electrification in Greenwich, London and Devon, Cornwall. This is exciting as we will be exploring both urban and rural applications of this vital technology.

COP26 is an important global milestone on the journey towards a low-carbon future. As the world looks expectantly on, many will wonder how the discussions and meetings in Glasgow will translate into practical changes in the day-to-day lives of citizens and businesses. We’re here to help, so at DG Cities we’ll be keeping a close eye on the discussions and working hard to make sense of what COP26 will mean for UK towns and cities. Follow our blog to find out more.