More than 100 representatives from community energy groups, local authorities, businesses, government, policy bodies and energy sector organisations came together in London on the 6th July to support the governments Energising Britain campaign.
Organised by the Greater South East Net Zero Hub (GSENZH), as part of the national campaign involving all 5 regional net zero Hubs, the 6th July was a day which revolved around specific key questions, developed to bring the clean energy transition to places it has not reached yet, these included:
Among those speaking at the event, which took place in London, was the DESNZ Director General for Net Zero, Nuclear and International, Lee McDonough.
She told the gathering a major role for Government was to listen and to learn, and to create the conditions for those working in communities to succeed.
“One thing we know is change cannot be delivered top down from Government,” she said. “All of us need to pull together with people on the ground who understand their communities best. None of us can do this alone – we have to trust each other.”
Attendees also heard an impassioned explanation of why clean energy policies matter from London’s Deputy Mayor Mete Koban, MBE. He highlighted how the use of fossil fuels was impacting on ordinary Londoners.
“Working class Londoners are paying the price for something they’ve got absolutely no control over – because there are volatile energy prices but also because the toxins that are released into our air are stunting thousands of young people’s lungs across our city,” he said. “This is a social and racial justice issue – we need energy security to remove our dependency on fossil fuels.”
Among the key themes which emerged during the day was the need for trusted organisations to be at the heart of change, and for that change to be normalised by embedding green transitions within communities.
Shoaib Shahid, a volunteer guide at Cambridge Central Mosque, described how Europe’s first eco-mosque had inspired communities far and wide: “The mosque has gained real understanding of what it means to be good green neighbours, what it means to be a religious building in the 21st century,” he said. “Over the last seven years thousands and thousands of people have come to visit, and what we hope is that when they come they feel this awe, this inspiration from the built environment around them. They can then take that back into their daily lives, whether that’s recycling or whether it’s investing in active transport, and that’s how their daily life impacts communities around them. That’s really what we’re about.”
There was also acknowledgement of some of the barriers to ensuring people were happy to accept developments. Asher Minns, Director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of East Anglia, said public opinion about electrification was much less likely to be positive in rural areas than in urban ones.
“In the cities, very few people care if solar is going on rooftops, on warehouses or on swimming pools,” he said. “In the countryside it’s all about the landscape, people’s values, what it is they love, what it is they cherish. This has to be recognised, and a conversation needs to happen with all of those communities – because it’s not (happening).”
GSENZH Regional Director Maxine Narburgh also underlined the importance of place, and of a ‘trickle-down’ effect in creating positive narratives around change.
“We’ve heard a lot today about how we bring communities with us, and that we shouldn’t ‘do unto’ communities. A little initiative can flow through many, many more people. We heard today from Repowering London, where a community steering group was responsible for decisions which wouldn’t necessarily have been the one they would have made. So trust is really important in both directions, and those of us that are often the designers of projects need to let go and let communities have a bigger part.”
Key Messages from those attending included:
The need for clean, sustainable energy is essential for social justice. Ordinary people are paying for issues they cannot control, such as international volatility in energy prices – and they pay not just financially but also through the health of children who suffer from lung problems caused by fossil fuels.
The role of Government and public institutions is to listen to people and communities, and to help create the conditions for success. Change cannot be delivered from the top down; partnerships are key to success.
Trust is crucial – the gathering heard of projects in which community involvement had led to different decisions being made. Those who are used to taking charge of projects need to learn to step back and release control sometimes.
Trusted institutions such as religious organisations and schools can set examples which people are happy to buy into – and communities around those institutions can provide a ‘trickle-down’ effect which can help embed change.
Messages which work in cities may not work in rural communities, where a strong commitment to landscape may lead to stronger opposition to clean energy projects.
Facilitation and collaboration can help make aspirations become reality. The Greater South East Net Zero Hub has helped not only local authorities, but the wider public sector, including hospitals, universities, schools and leisure centres.
