The road to COP26: A clean and fair recovery at home and a leader on climate and nature abroad

Before the end of the year, possibly this week, the Prime Minister is expected to set out the remainder of the government’s ‘ten-point plan for a green industrial revolution’. Boris Johnson set out the first part of this plan in October, announcing investment for offshore wind and green energy. The remainder of the plan is expected to include targets and investments in industries, innovation and infrastructure to help set the UK on the path to its net zero target.

In this briefing, we argue for the government to use the ten-point plan as a means to deliver an investment-led economic recovery focused on job-creation – creating up to 1.6 million jobs - decarbonising the economy, restoring nature, and tackling inequality. Too often, these goals, and that of building a strong economy, are presented as being in conflict with each other. But in reality, they can and must be achieved together – and the government can use its ten-point plan to deliver both.

As the host of COP26 in 2021, the UK can also help inspire the rest of world and leverage greater ambition and delivery from other developed countries by increasing its domestic policy ambition. But as we make clear, the UK also has a responsibility, as one of the largest historic contributors to the climate crisis to make a broader contribution to address global heating.