G7 must keep $100 billion climate promise – by backing green skills and work
As world leaders gather for this week’s seaside summit in Cornwall, calls for climate action will pound them like waves crashing on a harbour wall. The climate crisis grows bigger every day, but one response can help keep our hopes for a low-carbon future afloat: Investing in green jobs and skills in less wealthy nations. […]
World Environment Day 2021
This year’s theme of the UN’s World Environment Day is ‘ecosystem restoration’, the process of healing degraded ecosystems and conserving those that are still intact. The 2021 event also marks the formal launch of the UN’s Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, a ”10-year push to halt and reverse the decline of the natural world.” From forests […]
Why don’t we just… get serious about green jobs?
Last week the government made an eye-catching promise: that the country would slash carbon emissions by 78 per cent over the next 14 years. That’s a seriously ambitious and very welcome target. Now it needs to get equally serious about hitting it. Climate action delivers a host of benefits such as cleaner air, lower energy […]
Rural refrigeration is about more than delivering vaccines
In our overheating world, 2.2 billion people go without clean and efficient cooling. This puts their health at risk – but also their ability to earn a living. Those in danger include many millions of smallholder farmers in the world’s least wealthy countries. When they see their precious crops wither in the heat, or their […]
Green skills and warmer homes: where can councils make a difference?
By supporting upgrades to homes and domestic heating, councils can boost local economies while tackling fuel poverty and lowering carbon emissions. Millions of homes in the social housing and privately-owned sectors need to be improved – or retrofitted – in the coming decades, potentially creating hundreds of new jobs in every local authority area in […]
Thinking local helps Durham County Council deliver sustainable procurement
Ashden’s Local Authority Hubs are helping councils come together to tackle their biggest climate challenges. Richard Carroll from Durham County Council shares insights on how to deliver sustainable procurement. At Durham County Council, we see social value as a vital part of all our procurement processes. It’s important we spend our money and deliver services […]
Government skills drive must create good green jobs for all
Harriet Lamb, Ashden CEO, responds to the Queen’s Speech of 11 May. “We welcome the promised legislation on environmental targets – and promises on green jobs and lifetime skills. But the green dots need to be joined. “We should invest in the green skills and training that will enable people to find the jobs of […]
Green skills shortage could thwart our climate commitments
This piece first appeared at Ours to Save. The £1.5 billion Green Homes Grant Scheme (GHGS), the UK’s most significant green stimulus package to date, was scrapped in March after it became clear the scheme was not feasible. A shortage of skilled green workers left the government unable to follow through with green-retrofit works across […]
“Be truthful” – five tips to engage communities on climate change
Repowering London empowers communities to fund, install and manage their own clean, local energy. The organisation believes that putting people at the heart of the energy system is key to fighting the climate emergency, building resilient communities and promoting technological innovation. Repowering often collaborates with local authorities – in a guest blog for Ashden’s Local […]
Five reasons world leaders must commit to stronger climate finance targets this week
Image: climate finance can support better work, such as solar-powered silk weaving made possible by innovator Resham Sutra. This week’s Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Germany brings a rare opportunity for global leaders to step up their commitments to fight climate change and enable a green, resilient and inclusive future for all. However, this greener future […]