Public services can lead the way to net zero but not without government funding

Getting the UK’s public services across the net zero line will require £140bn of government funding by 2035, says new research published today (Monday) by UNISON. If the government’s 2050 target is to be met, the UK’s hospitals, schools, colleges, universities, care homes, town halls, leisure centres, police stations, courts, social housing, and water, transport and environmental services all need to be part of the plan, says the union. The report, Getting to Net Zero in Public Services: The Road to Decarbonisation, says that without government funding, public services still reeling from a decade of austerity, will struggle to decarbonise. In the absence of a significant capital injection of funds, says the report, public services would only be able to move slowly towards net zero, taking resources from already stretched budgets, with disastrous consequences. Measures like making all public buildings energy efficient, installing roof top solar panels, the introduction of electric vehicle fleets and LED streetlighting could create almost a quarter of a million new jobs, according to the report. It would also mean cheaper energy bills and lower transport costs for public services. According to the report, public services currently account for about 8% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, with the NHS about 4% of that. The NHS aims to reach net zero by 2040, and more than a third of councils have committed to get to that point by 2030. Of all the public services examin...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - Category: Food Science Authors: Tags: Article Christina McAnea COP26 net zero Source Type: news