Freelance Sustainability Psychologist - using Psychology to help create a greener, fairer, happier society.
The Net Zero decarbonisation pathways study for Brighton and Hove is now officially launched! It lays out the plans for: 🏠Retrofit of homes and commercial buildings ♨️rollout of Heat pumps 🏘️District heat networks ☀️Large scale solar installation 🔌Accelerating EV charger rollout ⚡️Electricity grid upgrades Phew there’s a lot to do! For all of this to happen – we need lots of exciting new technology. But none of it will happen without people. People weighing up whether they want to take the leap to switch to a heat pump, people deciding if an EV will work for them or if they could ditch their car altogether, people deciding to spend money to insulate their homes. There are lots of questions to answer: ❓ In a city with a high proportion of renters - How do we convince landlords to retrofit their properties when they won’t benefit from the energy savings? ❓ How do we make it the norm to turn the billions spent annually on home improvements to go beyond nice new kitchens and bathrooms and to install renewable energy systems? ❓ How do we avoid backlash to climate policies and make sure we’re effectively “selling” the co-benefits e.g. health and cheaper energy? ❓ How do we use social tipping points spread changes quickly? ❓ How do we get neighbours to come together and invest in community energy schemes? I’m looking forward to working with @climatechangebh and others to dig into these questions make sure people are at the heart of the energy transition in Brighton and Hove. You can read the full study here https://lnkd.in/e949ApH4 - and find a summary of the fantastic presentations from Tim Rowkins @andrewbarnett and Marie Claire Brisbois that break it down simply and clearly.
On Monday, 2 December 2024, Climate:Change hosted a significant event at the Friends Meeting House in Brighton, marked by a keynote address from Cllr Tim Rowkins, the Cabinet Lead for Net Zero and Environmental Services at Brighton and Hove City Council. The event, expertly chaired by Simon Maxwell, focused on the launch of the Decarbonisation Pathways Study. This comprehensive study, commissioned by Brighton and Hove City Council, provides a detailed analysis of the city's energy system and identifies 110 priority opportunities for decarbonisation, with a strong emphasis on technical detail, inequality, and energy poverty.The discussion, which included insights from Andrew Barnett of The Policy Practice and Marie Claire Brisbois, Co-Director of the Sussex Energy Group at the University of Sussex, was rich in perspectives on the feasibility and implementation of the decarbonisation pathways. The attendees praised the study's granularity and its focus on community energy projects, such as rooftop solar and heat networks, whilst other areas were highlighted for further consideration. The event underscored the importance of transitioning from a study to a strategy and the need for continued engagement to achieve socially inclusive and effective climate solutions. Many thanks to all those who participated and attended to make this such a productive and informative discussion, and to the volunteers who supported this event. The full meeting notes are now on the Climate:Change website, including links to the full Decarbonisation Pathways Study. https://lnkd.in/e949ApH4 Tim Rowkins Simon Maxwell Marie Claire Brisbois #NetZero #Decarbonisation #SustainableEnergy #ClimateAction #CommunityEngagement #EnergyTransition #ClimateChangeMitigation #BrightonAndHove #ClimateSolutions
