• Introduction to the Climate Change Committee
• How is the UK performing in its commitment to net zero 2050? (Reference the Skidmore report, Climate Change Committee reports)
• Explore the decarbonisation pathways, illustrative scenarios, and policies to reduce emissions across various sectors
• Understand cross-cutting actions to support the transition
• What’s next for the CCC and Government’s Net Zero plans? The Seven Carbon Budget, a focus on emissions reduction for the period 2038-2042

• A local climate emergency – what does this mean?
• Devolution – is this an opportunity for stability? – strategy, funding, innovation
• Green growth opportunities for local authorities
• Local authorities – a local picture
• Public / private partnerships to accelerate net zero

Speakers:

Katherine Burden, Senior Business Development Manager, Green Economy

Dr. Eoin Devane, Carbon Budget Team Leader, Climate Change Committee

• Carbon fiber recycling emerges as a crucial strategy to reduce environmental impact and promote energy savings in the composite materials industry
• Current methodologies and technologies for recovering and reusing carbon fibers from industrial waste and end-of-life products
• The environmental and economic benefits of carbon fiber recycling are analysed, including energy savings in the production process and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
• Future opportunities for optimising recycling processes and integrating recycled composite materials in the automotive, aerospace, and infrastructure sectors

• Understand how businesses can navigate and evolve in energy transition
• Delve into what to expect from changes in energy transition and what businesses need to consider within their energy strategies to thrive in a net zero future

• The substantial and steepening demand for capital to support net zero in the UK
• The dominant funding models & capital allocation trends in the Uk
• The Big picture headwinds (higher supply chain costs, higher interest rates and some political uncertainty)
• The longer term positive outlook - abundant and growing appetite to deploy money, but only where return on risk makes sense)
• The critical role of policy and policymakers in this environment.

• Potential for the Net Zero transition to create more jobs than will be lost
• Net Zero will impact on the workforce in different ways
• Opportunities and risks for different sectors
• Government policy levers and plans

We will explore, with case studies and real data from across the Higher and Further Educations sectors:

• The size of the task, and the tools available
• How the facilitation of knowledge sharing between members helps to build confidence in new technologies
• How innovative multi-partite corporate power purchase agreements, can offer a way for institutions of all sizes to invest in new-to-earth renewable energy installations.
• How supply agreements can be honed to offer routes to market for carbon reduction goods and services

• Speakers from the previous session will join for an audience Q&A

• Understand the crucial relationship between leadership, corporate culture, and the journey to achieve net-zero sustainability goals
• Explore the pivotal role of a dedicated workforce, dissect the key drivers and challenges in the transition to net-zero
• Examine real-world examples of fostering a culture that champions sustainability and the importance of workforce

• Investing in innovation
• Overview of Innovate UK Net Zero programmes
• Why is the UK lagging behind in investing in innovation
• Why scaling out is the challenge and needs different support

• Redefining Energy Paradigms: The Shift to Decentralised Grids- Exploring the evolution from traditional centralised energy systems to innovative decentralised models.

• Blockchain in Energy: The Rowan Energy Approach- Introducing Rowan Energy's ground-breaking Proof-of-Generation Blockchain - how it promotes low-carbon, renewable energy generation using SmartMiners; exploring this approach's technical and environmental benefits.

• Real-World Impact: Enhancing Sustainability and Financial Incentives- Real-world data and case studies demonstrating the impact of Rowan Energy's system.

• The Future of Energy: Community-Based Networks and Scalability- Discussing the future potential of decentralised energy networks in creating self-sustaining communities. Envisioning scenarios where schools, hospitals, and local institutions actively participate in energy sharing, contributing to a more sustainable and resilient energy ecosystem.

• Innovating for a Greener Tomorrow: Rowan Energy's Vision and Expansion- Sharing the vision and plans of Rowan Energy, including partnerships and expansion strategies.

• Monitoring and measuring greenhouse gas emissions – understanding sources and sinks
• Net zero plus – balancing environmental, economic and societal needs
• Delivering science-based strategies and solutions

• Discussion including Renewable energy, updating the grid, integrating energy storage, electrifying transportation and heating, connecting to adjacent nations, community energy projects, hydrogen & carbon capture, and demand-side management for greater efficiency
• Overcoming grid connection challenges
• Explore the progress made so far against the UK government's British Energy Security Strategy
• Innovative approach to solar and battery collocation, developing a strong hybrid pipeline, contributing to RWE's leadership in the UK's renewable energy sector
• Discuss strategies to surmount regulatory and technical hurdles, fostering the advancement of clean energy solutions and accelerating the transition towards a sustainable future
• 2035 UK power decarbonisation target 

Speakers:

Martin H. Larsen, CEO, EPConsult Energies (EP)

Joaquin Aparicio Fernandez de Gatta, Head of Development Solar & Storage UK, RWE Global

Gareth Miller, Chief Executive Officer, Cornwall Insight 

*programme subject to change without notice

• Busting myths about our built environment and what progress really means
• Learning from practical delivery to strengthen policy
• Highlighting the opportunities for energy efficiency in the built environment that ensure sustainable and economically viable climate action

• Holistic asset management strategy for housing stock
• Long-term planning of EV charging infrastructure
• Neighbourhood scale approaches without extra funding

• Shared goals of reducing carbon footprint, being more sustainable and reaching net zero
• Helping the public sector to reduce their emissions and become grid independent
• Installing LED lighting and Solar PV to reduce costs and protect the environment

• In 2021, the Greater London Authority (GLA) introduced a requirement for large developments to report whole life-cycle carbon (WLC) emissions to achieve planning consent, with an expectation that efforts are made to reduce embodied carbon emissions on all proposals

• This requirement has led to a surge in information being submitted to support planning applications, increasing the burden on Planning Officers to review technical information

• PACER is an Innovate UK funded project to develop a platform to streamline the WLC submission and review process, enabling planning officers to interrogate and comment on proposals and ensure that carbon reductions are achieved on all developments

• This presentation will provide a summary of why PACER is needed and how it will support local authorities in ensuring developments meet policy requirements and align with climate commitments

Speakers:

Ian Poole, Whole Life Carbon Officer, Westminster City Council

Hrabrina Nikolova, Principal Sustainability Officer, Westminster City Council

• Understand the critical roles of context and psychological safety in optimising Net Zero
• Explore the impact of climate anxiety and denial on effective policy delivery
• Examine the Discourses of Delay and how to rescript them
• Appreciate the value of storytelling to optimise engagement

• Identifying the right locations and getting the infrastructure in place
• Understand the barriers and challenges to decarbonising transport
• Public engagement and education: what has been done, what is still needed, and what impact have hubs had on EV adoption? 
• How do the hubs fit into a wider sustainability strategy for the wider local transport ecosystem?
• Decarbonising transport – delay ban of diesel vehicles

• Explore the unique challenges and opportunities presented by heritage buildings in the context of sustainability
• Shed light on the role of retrofitting in achieving net-zero emissions in the built environment
• Address common misconceptions and perceived barriers associated with retrofitting heritage buildings for sustainability
• Provide an overview of how retrofit is being approached 
• Provide insights into strategies, technologies, and what we could do next to help overcome challenges and encourage a shift towards more sustainable practices in the heritage built sector

• The complexity of achieving sustainable energy goals, moving beyond superficial discussions to highlight the rigorous and methodical approach required

• Demonstrating how legislative mandates, technological innovations, and operational efficiencies can create significant opportunities for businesses engaging in green initiatives

• Highlighting the critical steps and strategies essential for a successful transition, emphasising tailored solutions to address specific project challenges and highlighting the tangible benefits such as investor attraction, operational savings, and emission reductions

• A call to action for businesses, urging them to recognise the obstacles inherent in green transitioning but emphasising that with the right expertise and approach, it is not only navigable but essential for future success

• Speakers from the previous session will join for an audience Q&A

• Pothole repair, road resurfacing, asset inspections, verge clearing, gully cleaning – all require multiple vehicles of all sizes to attend site and carry in materials to fix and take away waste to recycling cycles 
• Measuring the carbon emissions of these highways operations is often overlooked while local authorities focus on what residents can do to avoid and reduce their emissions. Did you know that all this activity is already tracked for performance and cost? 
• Learn how local authorities are using Brightly software to create a carbon footprint baseline per activity and a carbon reduction plan. Using the Future Highways Research Group methodology, we apply the carbon factors which allows you to build the evidence for process & policy change and positivity impact your council’s environmental impact

• The green transition will require talent and investment on a scale not seen since the industrial revolution
• Many of the largest scale projects will be situated in areas struggling with chronic deprivation; indeed those most left behind by the de-industrialisation of the 80s and 90s
• We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to not only supercharge Britain’s green revolution but restore, hope, pride and a future to these communities
• Explore how your business can develop and nurture local talent, via school partnerships, to both supercharge the green transition and make the UK a more equitable and socially mobile society

• Discuss the strategies and policies needed to address the energy quadrilemma of affordability, security, sustainability, and just transition
• Explore the importance of embedding energy efficiency, optimisation, and preservation in new buildings and homes
• Analyse the significance of aligning local and national policies with project delivery to inform each other intelligently 
• Discuss the implications of decoupling electricity pricing from gas and the potential ratio shifts for decarbonisation efforts Explore how can pricing mechanisms be adjusted to incentivise decarbonisation across the energy sector
• Discuss the importance of simplifying procurement routes, funding, and investment for sustainable innovation to enable rapid development and deployment of solutions
• Examine strategies to foster public confidence in new energy approaches and technologies, while also creating local skills and employment opportunities
• Delve into the necessity of considering the social and environmental impacts of energy transitions, particularly in terms of providing opportunities for workers in fossil fuel industries and minimising disruption to nature

Speakers:

Abigail Ward, Policy Manager- England & Wales, Energy Saving Trust

David Schiele, Energy Innovation Director, Energy Innovation Agency 

Dean Cooper, Global Energy Lead, WWF 

• Speakers from the previous session will join for an audience Q&A

*programme subject to change without notice