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About Nesta

Nesta is an innovation foundation. For us, innovation means turning bold ideas into reality and changing lives for the better. We use our expertise, skills and funding in areas where there are big challenges facing society.

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Nesta at the Labour Party Conference

Net Zero: What are the big ideas for a locally led transition to low carbon homes?
In A sustainable future
28 Sep 2021 11:00 – 12:00
Tyne, Hilton Brighton Metropole
In person, free [Event pass required]

Decarbonising homes is one of the thorniest challenges we face in getting to net zero. Burning fossil fuels for home heating accounts for 15% of the UK’s total emissions, and this has barely changed over the last decade, despite several big policy initiatives. The question of how we heat our homes has climbed the political agenda recently, but the importance of local action and local leadership has been largely overlooked.

Listen to the event audio

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Image Description

This discussion brought together those working at the forefront of the fight to decarbonise households through locally-led action. We asked what lessons can we learn from regions, cities and towns that are making progress? How can local government be enabled to lead the transition? What products are out there? What new solutions are coming down the track? And most importantly, who is going to pay for it all?

Questions and themes

  • How can we make energy efficiency measures and low-carbon heating aspirational so that consumers want to engage with them?
  • What lessons can be learnt from other, similar transitions both in the UK and elsewhere? What are the pitfalls to avoid?
  • How can we ensure consumers are protected and have trust and confidence in new products and services?

Session format

Each speaker has 5 minutes to present their one big idea to reduce household emissions followed by 10 minutes of audience Q&A before moving onto the next speaker.

Speakers

Ravi Gurumurthy 2022 (3)

Ravi Gurumurthy

Group Chief Executive Officer

Polly Billington, Director, UK100

Polly established UK100 in 2016 and is the face of the organisation. She is a campaigning and communications specialist with extensive experience in media, government and politics. Polly liaises with local leaders and directly elected mayors and is able to develop and maintain strong relationships with extensive contacts across the political and nonprofit spectrum. A former broadcast journalist (BBC 1993-2007), she was special adviser at DECC (2008-10), Director of Communications on Sadiq Khan’s selection campaign to be a London Mayoral candidate (2015), and Head of Communications and Campaigns at Citizens Advice (2013-15).

Judith Blake, Baroness Blake of Leeds, Shadow Spokesperson for Housing, Communities and Local Government

Judith Blake was elected as the first ever female leader of Leeds City Council in May 2015, a position she held until February this year when she stepped down, having been awarded a Life Peerage and taking up the title of Baroness Blake of Leeds. She has been at the forefront of efforts to transform public services whilst delivering improved outcomes for the people she represented. She has driven work to attract inward investment in order to strengthen the local economy and is proud that Leeds was one of the first local authorities to declare climate emergency under her leadership. Baroness Blake is now the Shadow spokesperson for MHCLG in the House of Lords.

Sam Alvis, Head of Green Renewal, Green Alliance

Sam leads the Green Renewal programme, part of the Greening the Economy theme, aiming to put actions that meet our climate objectives and restore nature at the heart of our Covid-19 economic recovery. He is also a member of Chatham House’s Panel of Young Advisors, advising on youth strategy and climate. Before joining Green Alliance Sam was a Senior Advisor to Tony Blair, as well as a leading on Brexit and Industrial Strategy for the Wellcome Trust. Prior to this he worked for the Shadow Treasury team in Parliament. Outside of work Sam is a school governor, charity trustee and mentor with the Social Mobility Foundation. He holds a MSc in Climate Change.

Event information

28 Sep 2021 11:00 – 12:00
In person, free [Event pass required]

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