T

his weekend marks the start of the United Nations 27th Climate Meeting the Conference of the Parties (COP 27), taking place in Egypt. As we evaluate the daily discussions and what they might mean in practice, it is worth considering what this Conference could mean for the UK and ACE members, as well as progress made since COP 26 in Glasgow last year.  

ACE will be sharing a full briefing with members after the conference concludes in two weeks' time.  

A key outcome from COP26 was the Glasgow Climate Pact. This included a series of decisions and resolutions to stay within 1.5°C global temperate increases. Since then, the UK Government has faced increasing scrutiny around its Net Zero target, and the Climate Change Committee (CCC) has issued its progress report. The summary is there is a lot more to do – and fast.  

Over the coming months we can expect further scrutiny on what the Government is doing to take forward its commitment, including how it's unlocking global private finance to drive the transition to Net Zero. 

On a political level, the conference has already had an impact on the UK, with the Prime Minister U-turning on his original decision not to attend. The significance of his presence shouldn’t be underestimated. Whilst much of the behind closed-door negotiations will be dealt with by officials, the Prime Minister’s attendance sends an important message that the UK is still firmly at the table and is taking its global responsibilities seriously.   

The independent review of Net Zero, also known as the Skidmore Review, could not have chosen a better time to consult with key stakeholders. Its fundamental aim was to assess how the Government can link the transition to its overarching goals on economic growth. As one journalist put it when reporting from COP 27, “The question is not can we afford to transition, but can we afford not to?” ACE recently met with key officials from BEIS on this very issue, and we look forward to continuing to work with the Department. 

The Prime Minister’s attendance sends an important message that the UK is still firmly at the table and is taking its global responsibilities seriously. Guto Davies, head of policy ACE

During his Conference speech on Monday, Rishi Sunak urged delegates to act faster in climate change, highlighting that “the climate and energy go hand in hand” as he reflected on the ongoing impact of the war in Ukraine. The focus on energy security was to be expected, especially given ongoing policy discussions here in the UK on rising energy costs.   

Whilst much of the attention will be on many of the keynote addresses, it isn’t these alone that will make COP27 a success. I am very proud to see that many ACE members are attending the conferences and sharing best practice with stakeholders from around the World. Their contributions will continue to demonstrate the importance of sustainable infrastructure investment and how designers will be key to creating solutions to the climate crisis.   

Closer to home, we have recently launched our new advocacy structure which saw our Net Zero taskforce evolve into the new Climate Change advocacy group. The name change ensures the group can consider a broader remit beyond just net zero, including many of the items up for debate at COP27 such as nature, biodiversity, and green finance.  

Our forthcoming manifesto will outline a series of key asks for government, aligned with our three-year blueprint themes, some of which will include:  

• Working with businesses and the wider industry to develop a Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan, aimed at supporting the skills challenge and getting people into the green jobs of the future.  
• Scoping the creation of a Climate Change Apprenticeship programme to long-term planning as part of the net zero transition.   
• Promoting widespread increase in levels of carbon literacy to enable cost effective decisions.   
• Promoting the use of standard tools and approaches such as the Value Toolkit and the Construction Playbook to ensure they support Net Zero related decision making.   

Delegates and observes from afar know what needs to be done at this Conference to meet our climate commitments and ensure it outlines ambitious actions. But this is also an opportunity to share examples where practical and tangible actions can be translated into positive outcomes.  

Finally, the outcomes of the Conference must demonstrate global collaboration, as well as ownership of the issues and solutions. The multi-disciplined nature of ACE members, coupled with the global reach of our sector, means they are well placed to lead on this effort.   

Guto Davies is head of policy at the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE).