A just transition: Realising the opportunities of decarbonisation in the north of England

Article

Decarbonisation holds huge opportunities for the north of England. The energy sector is one of the North’s ‘prime capabilities’. The region has a leading low-carbon goods and services sector - accounting for around a third of all jobs in the sector in England. It has world-renowned universities and leading expertise in technologies such as nuclear power, hydrogen and offshore wind. This is matched by the many historic, geographic and geological advantages that exist in the region.

In short, there is substantial potential for the north of England to become the new heartland for a low-carbon energy economy. Up to 46,000 jobs could be created by 2030 just in the power sector, the focus of this report, alone.

In the past, industrial change has been poorly managed, including in the north of England, resulting in regional inequalities. But a well-managed ‘just transition’ could build on the economic strengths of the north of England and deliver a high-skill, high-wage, low-carbon economy of the future.

We have identified three key challenges that exist in delivering a just transition.

  • Lack of policy certainty and ambition.
  • Failure to put a ‘just transition’ at the heart of decarbonisation policy and industrial strategy.
  • An ill-equipped skills system.

In this report we discuss these challenges in more detail and make the case for a new approach that puts economic and social justice at the heart of energy and skills policy in the North. To achieve this, we set out a range of recommendations that are crucial to this ambition and ultimately form the components of a Just Transition Strategy for the north of England.

Related items

  1. A mother and child from behind looking out of a window

    Restoring security: Understanding the effects of removing the two-child limit across the UK

    The government’s decision to lift the two-child limit marks one of the most significant changes to the social security system in a decade.
  2. A group of healthcare professionals sitting in a staff common room in a hospital in Newcastle

    Building a healthier, wealthier Britain: Launching the IPPR Centre for Health and Prosperity

    Following the success of our Commission on Health and Prosperity, IPPR is excited to launch the Centre for Health and Prosperity.
  3. The Home Office building in London

    A ‘paradigm shift’ in asylum and immigration policy?

    In 2019, a package of asylum reforms known as the ‘paradigm shift’ was passed by a broad party consensus in the Danish parliament.