SKILLS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT THE CHALLENGE TESS GILL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

THE EXTENT OF THE CHALLENGE Climate Change Committee –October Report: Sustainable emissions reductions in the UK through implementation of measures to improve carbon efficiency have been very low and largely due to the recession GHG emissions over the period 2003 to 2007 fell at an annual average rate under 1%. Going forward a step change will be required to achieve deep emissions cuts required through the first three carbon budget periods and beyond:

SOME OF THE ACTION NEEDED Make a major shift in the strategy on residential home energy efficiency, moving away from the existing supplier obligation, to a transformation of our residential building stock through a whole house and street by street approach, with advice, encouragement, financing and funding available for households to incentivise major energy efficiency improvements.

Transport Plans 25% emissions reduction on 2007 levels by 2020: Falling carbon intensity of new cars to 95 g/kmin 2020 from158g/km. 240 thousand electric cars and plug-in hybrids by 2015, and 1.7 million by 2020, supported by appropriate charging infrastructure. Roll-out Smarter Choices to encourage better journey planning and increased use of public transport across the UK and training drivers in eco-driving.

reducing material throughput essential with or without growth evidence of absolute decoupling virtually absent prospects for decoupling fast enough ambitious at best Resource inefficiency

BEYOND CLIMATE CHANGE Climate change one result from living beyond the world’s resources. Need to also increase resource efficiency and protect bio-diversity Principles of sustainable development set out principles

Five new principles We want to achieve our goals of living within environmental limits and a just society, and we will do it by means of a sustainable economy, good governance, and sound science.

What are sustainable skills? Skills may just that – specific skills needed for example to advise, purchase and install renewables. See Pro Environ – LCREE skills paper for e.gs and SW/O Research Brief. But there are also far more generic skills/capacities/awareness to initiate, progress and manage change ….

LCIS and skills Core skills – STEM More general skills – communication, leadership and management skills to drive culture change or overhaul business practices; Sustainable procurement, environmental and risk management, monitoring; Energy, resource efficiency, product life cycle, carbon auditing and trading.

Sustainable Skills Some SDC suggested skills for all learners: Understanding evidence/impacts Systems thinking Understanding change Thinking locally and globally Critical thinking Understanding risk and precautionary principle

Current skill e.g plumbing Skill input LCREE plumbing LCREE output More water efficiency No wider output In work or community

Current skill e.g. plumbing SD/LCREE input Plumbing + Done with associated skills sets Output More Water efficiency Advises clients on Range of measures Active in community

E.G Resource efficiency - Water Almost a quarter of public water supply is lost through leakage. Over 25% of groundwater bodies in England is at risk from over abstraction. Over 50% of UK water consumption is in the home – third flushed down the toilet. Hot water use in homes accounts for 5% of total GHG emissions Leakages from petrol stations contribute to water pollution in groundwater.

Action required by Government, employers and providers; Learner and trade union involvement key; Resource efficiency better approach than low carbon; Supply chains can be used to spread learning and ideas; Public sector procurement important Delivery -Roundtable

Delivery – Aldersgate Group All policies e.g. subsidies for wind or LC Regions have corresponding skills strategies; All sectors of economy need development of skills on generic issues. Bin classification of green jobs. Requirement on all employers to provide skills training in sustainability?

Government to lead Government to take co-ordinated approach to making low carbon sustainable skills major focus of skills delivery. Need UK Commission for Employment and Skills to lead. Little way to go – their Ambition 2020 World Class Skills report not mention it.

Every BIG helps To achieve our goal of getting off fossil fuels reductions in demand and increases in supply must be big.To achieve our goal of getting off fossil fuels reductions in demand and increases in supply must be big. Do not be distracted by the myth that ‘every little helps’ If everyone does a little we will only achieve a little.Do not be distracted by the myth that ‘every little helps’ If everyone does a little we will only achieve a little. David JC MacKay – Sustainable Energy without the hot air.David JC MacKay – Sustainable Energy without the hot air.

SO WE NEED HIGH AMBITION AND DELIVERY “We have a terrible record of leading the world on rhetoric and failing to deliver in our own backyard” – Jonathan Porritt on climate change.“We have a terrible record of leading the world on rhetoric and failing to deliver in our own backyard” – Jonathan Porritt on climate change. “Fixation of producing endless policy documents and total lack of interest in delivery”“Fixation of producing endless policy documents and total lack of interest in delivery” Senior Government Official quoted in FT 29/06/09.Senior Government Official quoted in FT 29/06/09.

South West can lead the way Great opportunity to make real progress and use SW as exemplar when it comes to skills for future society. Lets use today to think big and move from policy to practice.