Delivering an equitable net zero transition

Article

The distributional impacts of climate change policies are a growing part of the debate on decarbonisation as the discussion has shifted from ‘whether’ we transition to the ‘how’. However, there is a need to broaden these debates beyond green and environmental perspectives and to involve anti-poverty groups and perspectives.

IPPR, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) and the Zero Carbon Campaign (ZCC) have been working together to help bridge this gap, holding three workshops in August and September 2021 to explore the risks and benefits of decarbonisation and the potential impacts of the net zero transition on those living in poverty.

This briefing provides a summary of these workshops, where IPPR brought together organisations focused on addressing the climate and nature crises and anti-poverty groups to help create a shared understanding of the poverty and inequality risks that could arise from the transition, as well as the potential benefits and opportunities for those on low incomes. The workshops explored three areas - transport, homes, and food.

Related items

  1. “I feel quite unsettled and unsafe”: Young people, belonging, and the broken promise of childhood

    Young people in England feel less secure, supported and connected than a decade ago. Based on nearly 200 conversations, this blog explores why childhood feels more stressful and less joyful.
  2. A photograph from below of the grand Manchester town hall building on a sunny day against a blue sky

    On home ground: The future of devolution

    Andy Burnham has pledged to deliver “the biggest rebalancing of power the country has ever seen”. The key task for the new government is putting this into action.
  3. A photo of police officer and a community support officer walking down a quiet street in Kent

    The legitimacy trap

    Why a more active state needs better statecraft.