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white papers that look at all the aspects will have to bear. responsibly as they perhaps should.
of the energy challenge. “It’s worth saying we will have to bear Days earlier, both The Daily Mail and The
“My expectation for that white some of those anyway; reaching net Sun were reporting Ofgem had decreed
paper are that rather than being the zero is by no stretch the only challenge that every family would have to rip out
all-singing, all-dancing plan, that it’s here when it comes to climate change. their gas central heating in the next ten
the plan for a plan; that it lays out the We will have to do a set of things to years and the response from Joe Public
points at which the government will adapt to a changing climate as well over was, unsurprisingly, ‘Over my cold,
make decisions on some of these hard that coming period.” dead body’.
topics, that it makes clear how they are Speaking of adaptation, gas engineers “But, I think it’s unrealistic to expect
going to deliver their ambition where often point to the UK’s conversion from the media to give perfect balance to
there is less uncertainty (for instance, towns gas in the 1960s and 70s as proof every argument,” says Chris. “The
with offshore wind). But I think we that massive, systemic change can be arguments have to stand up in their
are going to need more than one white done. But these days our more complex own right. You have to trust people
paper if we are going to crack this commercial landscape complicates as well, that they can process the
particular problem.” matters, would he agree? evidence. Public support, in my
Chris has previously talked about this experience, goes generally to the things
need for a more integrated approach, that are best supported by the evidence
where climate change becomes a part It is probably true to say that and I still believe that.”
of every department, not just one. “It’s younger people are keener on I resist the urge to counter Chris’s
very difficult for me to see a successful radical action, but I think it’s sanguine outlook with my own habitual
outcome if the only department that is probably also true to say that misanthropy. Can we really trust people
really pulling its weight on this is BEIS,” when their elected representatives
he says. “Interestingly, we have seen as they get older they get less seem so resistant to science? Just days
DfT really commit on the transport stuff keen on it. In the end, I think before, US President Donald Trump, the
today, so I’m actually quite optimistic this is like many social trends world’s most powerful 73-year-old, had
about us achieving something over the and social movements brushed off ‘the perennial prophets of
next year. I would definitely say this is doom’ during a speech in Davos at the
the year to do it.” World Economic Forum, while teenage
I suppose that means I’m going to “Yes, I do,” says Chris. “I think climate activist Greta Thunberg glared
have to save up for an electric car. Is it context has changed dramatically in all from the audience.
possible to ensure the cost of climate this, partly because I think people now I ask if there is an unnavigable divide
change does not disproportionately accept more readily that climate change between the generations over climate
affect the poor? is happening, and that it’s something change. “It is probably true to say that
“I am optimistic about this,” says that we have caused, and then they younger people are keener on radical
Chris. “For the first time we have a move to discussing what we can do action, but I think it’s probably also true
Treasury that is actually taking this about it more readily, too. to say that as they get older they get less
problem seriously. Right now, they “I think governments are picking that keen on it,” he says.
are looking at the question of how you up and even corporates, for that matter. “In the end, I think this is like many
allocate the costs across the whole Even in the last two years we have seen social trends and social movements,
economy and, crucially, how you a dramatic shift in public sentiment that it needs to be well-managed by
distribute them in a fair way. towards climate change. government and you have to have
“That will necessarily have to tackle “Now, I am cautious about saying that an approach overall that is fair, and
the issue of fuel poverty and we need because I think much of the work that allocates the costs in a fair way, as
to ensure we don’t make that worse by has been done to test public sentiment we discussed. I do think there is an
going through this process. Overall, has asked a very simple question which additional point to make about the
we see that the costs are remarkably is, essentially, ‘Do you want to save the overall equity of it, the Greta Thunberg
low for this transition. They are world?’ Funnily enough, most people argument, which is that future
significant, but they are not going to be, when they are asked that question say generations are not in a position to do
as I mentioned earlier, the ruination of yes, they do. Some of the other survey anything about this problem, so we
the economy. So, the question for the work that has been done might even need to look to the current sets of older
Treasury is, how do we allocate those have asked, ‘Do you want to save the generations to do something about it.
costs in the fairest way and, of course, world quicker than the government “And that is a difficult topic that
bear down on them so that the whole does?’ and quite often people say yes to doesn’t have many easy answers. But
economy cost is as low as possible.” that question too. again, this is why we have governments
And of course the cost of doing “But that is different to the practical that can make enlightened, long-
nothing would be far greater. “Yes, questions of what you do about your sighted decisions on things. This
this is one of those areas where it just gas boiler, about what you’ll do if you is the topic when it comes to that;
makes sense to tackle it,” he says. can’t have a petrol car on the road. So I this is something we can address
“It’s one of the reasons why having am less sure that that public sentiment, permanently over the next three
the UK in the presidency of the COP which I think has changed, speaks to decades and, to my mind, it’s worth it,
(UNFCCC Conference of the Parties) public willingness to take difficult steps. given the overall impact if we don’t.”
is so important, because it’s a global That’s the bit that we have to explore
issue and we need a global approach a bit more and that’s why we need the Chris Stark will be delivering this year’s
to climate change that allows us to government to make a coherent plan.” Sir Denis Rooke Memorial Lecture on
minimise the damage – otherwise there It doesn’t help when the media 25 March. Book your place now at
are enormous costs to this, which we fails to present these solutions as bit.ly/IGEMsdr20

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