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FOUNDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE

through clean technologies and energy embedded into planning and design. where applying cross-sectoral systems
reduction measures are welcome. For example, urgent changes to approaches to policymaking will help.
However, this must be viewed in the public procurement processes are For example, recognising the
context of the cumulative, connected needed so they become outcome- interconnectedness of different policy
change required across different policy focused and take into account whole- areas and economic sectors and
areas and economic sectors to deliver life carbon evaluation. This will provide learning from past policy initiatives to
net zero. The plans are an example of the stimulus for the construction understand the bigger picture, including
immediate, low-regrets actions that the industry to deliver innovative, wider social and behavioural factors, can
UK must urgently take to remain on low carbon projects and increase lead to a more resilient policy planning
track with the target. its international competitiveness. and more successful outcomes.
The actions must include support for Covid-19 has also affected existing Dervilla Mitchell CBE, UKIMEA chair
enabling work to help realise medium- infrastructure and buildings, including at Arup and a chair of the National
and long-term opportunities, as well the energy and transport systems, and Engineering Policy Centre Net Zero
as quick wins. Future policy decisions homes, schools and offices. Working Group, said: “We must
around net zero need to mobilise entire Across the UK, demand for public guard against the possibility that, as
industries in response to the crisis, and transport fell by up to 95 per cent economies around the world recover
to capitalise on the changing attitudes during the early months of the from the impacts of the pandemic,
of financial markets towards low pandemic, while national electricity plans for a low carbon recovery unravel,
climate-risk investments. demand during the same period fell and we lock the country into high
All this needs to be done at the 12 per cent. The impacts during a emissions infrastructure and systems
scale and pace required to meet the winter lockdown remain to be seen. that simply return us to past norms.
emissions target. Consistent policy is Infrastructure and buildings need to be “Investing in low carbon technology
essential if supply chains and markets resilient, flexible and able to adapt to and practices now will create jobs and
are to be successfully established shifting patterns of use. pay dividends for the economy and the
and returns on funding realised. The UK’s net zero emissions target.
Covid-19 crisis has severely impacted In the midst of the Covid-19 “Real progress on reducing carbon
employment and training, with major emissions will need to be built in the
knock-on effects for engineering sectors crisis, the UK is on a pivot. It short term, maintained over the long
and the staff they employ. In the oil could choose to either revert to term, be sustainable over successive
and gas sector, an estimated 20 per ‘business as usual’, where the governments, and able to withstand
cent of the workforce – 30,000 workers UK risks being locked into a disruptive events in future.”
– are at risk of losing their jobs, while IGEM welcomed the report with full
in construction, 43 per cent of people high-carbon future, falling short support for the recommendations to
surveyed in June 2020 anticipated of its legislated commitments make the best use of the UK’s existing
making redundancies, affecting up to and failing to show global assets and infrastructure and to mobilise
20 per cent of their workforce. leadership in the lead-up to a workforce that can meet the technical
In the short-term, people with at- needs of the UK’s net zero future.
risk jobs could be redeployed, while COP26. Or it could instead IGEM’s Head of Technical Services and
supporting the UK’s net zero aims by choose to make a bold move Policy Ian McCluskey said: “The UK is at
creating employment opportunities in towards ‘better’ a crucial turning point, where we have
low carbon industries. In the energy the opportunity to set the trajectory of our
sector alone, it is estimated that 400,000 economic recovery to one that prioritises
new recruits will be needed in the next Policymakers and engineers a green recovery and capitalises on the
30 years to build the net zero energy together have a chance to seize an good work already underway to develop
workforce. The inequitable impact opportunity, to rethink, plan, design, solutions for decarbonising heat,
of Covid-19 on women and BAME retrofit, operate, maintain and transport and industry.
communities is likely to have slowed repurpose existing infrastructure “This approach is needed now
progress on diversity and inclusion in and buildings, and factor in social to deliver net zero and beyond the
employment across all sectors of the equity, net zero and resilience from Covid-19 pandemic, it also brings
economy, including engineering. the outset. Building on increased use significant potential for job creation
Engineering education and of digital technologies through the across the country and policymakers
training have also been affected, with crisis, digital transformation will be an must seize the opportunity to redeploy
implications for young engineers and essential enabler of decarbonisation and invest in our technical workforce,
the pipeline of STEM skills. Proactive and resilience. The UK has a chance to to reduce unemployment and ensure
policies on diversity and inclusion make the best use of existing assets and the skilled resources for our low
in employment and training will to develop more flexible and efficient carbon future are in place.”
help reverse the impact of Covid-19 infrastructure systems for the future.
and increase the UK’s capacity and There is a risk that, as the UK presses IGEM is a partner of the National
capability for delivering net zero. forward with a rapid recovery, plans for Engineering Policy Centre, which connects
With accelerated spending of £5 a truly green recovery unravel and the policymakers with critical engineering
billion on new infrastructure and UK simply returns to past norms. Real expertise to inform and respond to policy
£1 billion on school buildings as a progress on climate change will need issues of national importance, giving
key component of the government’s to build on the short-term recovery, the profession a unified voice on shared
economic stimulus plans, as well as £2.8 be sustainable over successive challenges. For more information visit
billion on hospital buildings, there is an governments, and able to withstand www.raeng.org.uk/policy/policy-centre/
urgent need for net zero principles to be disruptive events in future. This is about-national-engineering-policy-centre

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