13 April 2022
How can we achieve a just transition? What are the critical steps that governments must take to ensure nobody gets left behind?
“In terms of how to address household bills for the poorest in society, one of the best ways of doing that is actually energy efficiency... now of course, you can give people a bung of £150 on their council tax bill, but those are short term measures. In the longer term, the best and smartest way to cut people's energy bills is to actually make their homes more efficient.”
Dr Simon Evans, Deputy Editor, Carbon Brief
EPISODE OVERVIEW
Can the energy transition help rather than hurt the most vulnerable households and communities? Some say the ‘spiralling costs’ of net zero will hit the poorest hardest. But if the right steps are taken, we can deliver cheaper energy bills, greener jobs and healthier communities. And critically ensure that nobody is left behind.
We speak to experts Diana Fox Carney and Simon Evans to find out whether we can simultaneously go through the energy transition whilst addressing wider issues of inequality. We look at examples from countries across the world who are doing it well so far, and the key pitfalls to avoid.
Check out all the episodes from season one here.
ABOUT OUR GUESTS
Dr Simon Evans
Deputy Editor, Carbon Brief
Simon covers climate and energy policy for Carbon Brief. This UK-based website covers the latest developments in climate science, climate policy and energy policy. They specialise in clear, data-driven articles and graphics to help improve the understanding of climate change. He has a PhD in biochemistry from Bristol University and previously studied chemistry at Oxford University. Simon worked for environment journal The ENDS Report for six years. He specialised in areas including climate science and air pollution.
Diana Fox Carney
Climate and policy expert
Diana Fox Carney is a public policy expert with a strong focus on energy and climate change. She worked for many years in climate policy at think tanks in both Canada and the UK. Her professional experience ranges from agricultural research in Africa to assessing new and advanced energy technologies. Diana developed frameworks for thinking about reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions. She has master's degrees in agricultural economics and international relations from Oxford University and the University of Pennsylvania.