The Green Edge Reports Roundup, Oct-24: Part One - General
Continuing with our selection of reports and other publications from this month’s reading list.
Again this month, we’re splitting our reading list into two posts. This one covers general categories. For Sectors, see Part Two.
֎ Reports we feel are particularly worth a look.
Skills
֎Green Skills: Driving the transition to a more sustainable future
Economist for Iberdrola, January 2024.
Makes one central point: the acceleration of the green economy is hampered and limited by the lack of green skills. Uses literature review, a global survey of 1,000 businesses, and four sector workshops (construction and infrastructure; energy; IT and Technology; and transport and logistics). Makes some useful points: the intersection of transitions (digital and green), interventions to meet “yawning skills gaps” beyond the obvious (contractors/outsourcing, public-private partnerships, even down to mergers and acquisition), and an interesting measure of renewable jobs per 100,000 of the working population (UK is 237 versus Denmark 1,206, Germany 664, and Spain 351). Plus, a useful set of appendices covering skills by the four sectors.
Skills and Workforce Challenges
Presentation by the Head of the Office for Clean Energy Jobs, DESNZ, September 2024.
An interesting set of presentations, and we pick this one out by Ben Leich as he now heads up the Office for Clean Energy Jobs. It’s a useful summary statement of the green jobs and employment being generating by the net zero transition, and we suggest a look at the transition matrices which highlight the relatedness (or not) of key jobs skills between different sectors of the economy i.e. indicating the ease of transition into new, clean energy roles.
Green Skills Lab Blueprint: Five steps to build the culture and capabilities to achieve a net zero and resilient future
BITC, October 2024.
A process is laid out here to help businesses develop their green skills thinking and actions and is supported by a series of case studies drawn from CITB, Suez, British Land, and WJ Group. Our concern with these green-focused tools is they needed be balanced with a wider business perspective and take on board other waves of technology driven changes e.g. digital, data and AI.
An overview of the Department for Education for the new Parliament
National Audit Office, October 2024.
A useful briefing document which puts the skills role and objectives of the Department for Education into a few pages, and into the wider education context.
Labour Market
House of Lords inquiry into skills or the future: apprenticeships and training
House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee letter and appendices to the Minister for Skills, October 2024.
A cracking letter which highlights the initial findings from the inquiry in apprenticeships: basically, the need to tackle complexity, importance of devolution, funding, flexibility, and the overall investment in skills (by employers). All areas are under review and the emerging Skills England policy will hopefully tackle these areas. For us, unless these aspects of the skills system are tackled it will prove to be very difficult to achieve the various net zero targets.
֎The State of College Finances in England
IFS R339, Institute for Fiscal Studies, October 2024.
A useful status report on the college sector in England which has seen the number of colleges decline from 348 to 210 since 2010, and major funding drops for 16- to 19-year -olds (c25%), and for adults (50%). Net result is that many colleges do not have the capacity to change and redirect their efforts. The local college has a vital role to play in providing the bridge into work and into new opportunities (a key mission of the new UK Government); and, for the growing green sector, a key role to play in the upskilling and reskilling of thousands of people as we adjust to a net zero economy and society. The college sector needs to be a priority for Skills England, the combined authorities and the ESFA, and they can help support the sectors adjustment and the formation of effective college networks.
Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (Transfer of Functions etc.) Bill: Policy Summary Notes
Department for Education, October 2024.
The Bill that will give rise to Skills England—not a lengthy read. The start of a key shift on the skills system for England, and the role of new body is to cut across all Government Department and work closely with the nations of the UK and the growing number of combined authorities. The success of Skills England will be dependent on it making a series of immediate decisions around key skills priorities, while also building an effective skills system that works at multiple geographic levels and sectors. Just by bringing focus and coordination, and maximising the real impact of skills investment is to be greatly welcomed, and should be clearly visible within 12-18 months.
Advancing STEM careers provision in England: Key lessons and opportunities
Engineering UK, September 2024.
This timely report, updating us on progress since 2021, starts with noting the growth in the demand for engineers in sustainability role and with green skills. It is good to read the link made here between STEM careers actions at school and college levels with both Careers Hubs and LSIPs. It would be good to see this spatial aspect to be developed further as we find that those labour markets with a rich and deep engineering base, and those schools and colleges involved in T Levels and Apprenticeships might be in a much better place to offer exposure and experience of STEM roles in action. Engineers are the developers of green solution to the problems (and opportunities) presented by the climate crisis.
Chambers of Commerce and LSIPs: Bridging the skills gap. A new dynamic for business, education and skills linking local action with national strategy.
KWP for the British Chambers of Commerce, February 2024.
Three points really struck us in reading this evaluation report: the large scale of the engagement of businesses in the LSIPs process (65,000); the multiple examples of progressive work going on at local level driven by local initiative and needs; and the need for a shared database for LSIP refinement and update to be used by the limited resources available within Chambers of Commerce. If we are to support local skills policies and get them to flourish, they need to have capacity and capability locally in the Chambers, in the local and combined authorities etc. Usefully in the Appendix there is a list of all of the LSIPs along with the necessary links.
The skills needed to support an industrial strategy
Make UK and TUC, August 2024.
Aligning skills and industrial strategies and policies is a critical first step for the UK to make lasting progress in developing the economy. The chart which really caught our eye was the one charting the number of apprenticeships starts since 2011-12 and its decline to the current time. It is worth noting that starts do not always correlate well with completion as the drop-out rate for some apprenticeships can be quite high.
The Competitive Advantage of the Win-Win Workplace
Future Forward Institute, Burning Glass Institute, and Just Capital, October 2024.
It is not clear in the UK which Government Department “owns” work as a core policy area, and the follow-on areas of job quality, workplace quality, etc. The framework offered and used in this study would be a useful input to assessing status and progress, the Win-Win Workplace Framework has nine pillars. It could be used alongside the European Skills Index and be a part of the Skills England toolkit to show progress and impact perhaps.
Apprenticeship Evaluation 2023: Learner and non-complete surveys
IFF Research for Department for Education, September 2024.
The 2023 Apprenticeship Evaluation report explores learners' motivations, experiences, satisfaction, and outcomes in the UK apprenticeship program. It includes 4,919 learners and 506 non-completers, covering levels 2 to 7 apprenticeships. The research highlights challenges such as the need for improved training quality and employer support, and opportunities for enhanced job skills. Key reforms include increased flexibility for English and maths qualifications and a revised off-the-job training requirement. It is vital for green skills development as apprenticeships provide crucial pathways to upskilling workers in sustainability-focused sectors, helping address skill shortages in green technologies and practices. A parallel evaluation has also been undertaken of SMEs engagement and role in apprenticeships.
Evaluation of Skills Bootcamps: Wave 2 Implementation Report March 2023, updated September 2024
Department for Education
While Wave 2 evaluation was focused on digital and HGV, green programmes do get listed here, and Bootcamps are a major intervention for skills in England. We support the thinking behind Bootcamps but think they can be improved, and this report highlights a few ideas to which we would add a direct link to standards (modular and stackable).
Company practices to tackle labour shortages
Eurofound, September 2024.
Covers ground many in HR and labour market policies will know well, and one message which strikes us looking across the multiple policies and organisation interventions is the need to work through the various paths that individuals are having to take to enter or move within the labour market. Another point which strikes us is the inverse relationships between skills gaps and shortages and the level of in-work education and training delivered. For the green economy it is important to have a fully functioning skills system and labour market, and any actions that improve its effectiveness is a gain to the whole system.
AI competency framework for students
UNESCO, September 2024.
We include this in our listing as we see the need to combine the developing competency frameworks for sustainability (e.g. GreenComp) with the ones for digital (e.g. SFIA), and here we have one for AI (core framework, p19, and real detail, pages 29-52). It is the mixing of skills that are so important for solving problems.
International evidence review on in-work progression
RAND Corporation for the Department for Work and Pensions, October 2024.
Draws on policies from the USA, UK, France, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, France and others to view which policies are working and could be learnt from to improve the UK’s approach. This is a key area given the tightness of the UK labour market, and the likelihood we will need support in-work progression alongside employment support programmes for those currently economically inactive. What would be useful is to examine the policies described here with a clear eye of the high demand, critical occupations that need filling across the emerging green economy.
Universities and the UK’s economic recovery: an analysis of future impact
Universities UK, May 2021.
A little dated, but shows the scale of the impact of universities upon the labour market up to 2025/26 both nationally and regionally. It would be good to see these types of analyses drop down a further level into a few key sectors like clean tech, renewables, etc. (we would recommend using the green economy sectors as defined by the Data City system). There is a more up-to-date view, Opportunity, Growth and Partnership (September 2024).
Devolution and Regional Development
֎Invest 2035: The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy
Green Paper. UK Government, October 2024.
A consultation document which presents eight growth sectors as the ones to form the core of the UK’s industrial strategy (advance manufacturing, clean energy industries, creative industries, defence, digital and technologies, financial services, life sciences, and professional and business services) and poses 35 questions to guide responses. Net zero features very strongly, and is likely to succeed in part due to the Mission Control group in the DESNZ and the Office for Clean Energy Jobs. We find it slightly strange that agri-tech is not listed given the world leading cluster in East Anglia. In our initial analysis there are some cross-cutting skills sets (and occupations) across the eight sectors. We also think there needs to be a clear focus on interdependencies between the sectors. We would encourage everyone to read the document and to submit their considered views during the consultation which ends on November 24th. Given the mission-based approach being adopted by the UK Government it is also worth reading Mission-Oriented Industrial Strategy. Global Insights (UCL IIPP, July 2024).
֎Achieving environmental improvement and responding to climate change: enablers for success
HC 231, NAO, October 2024.
A key section for us in this report is Enabler 4: Proactively plan for the resources and skills needed. The NAO has been raising the skills issues for the delivery of the transition to net zero (2020), and while it found some good examples of progress, there remain challenges e.g. on-the-ground expertise for tree planting, ecologists for biodiversity net gain delivery, the decarbonisation of home heating (thought DESNZ has set-up the Office for Clean Energy Jobs). Building capacity in Government (at all levels) and through key supply chains takes time to develop and stabilise. We have suggested to the members of the EAC that they should take this NAO report as a starting point for their own inquiry into capacity and capability across Government to deliver on net zero targets.
Lessons learned: a planning and spending framework that enables long-term value for money
HC 234, NAO, October 2024.
A potentially dry but very important topic, and our interest is in the examples provided in Part Two which runs through the eight major lessons learned (summarised in Figure 2, page 8). Five of the examples used related to local economic growth (HC957), local authorities and net zero (HC304), resilience to flooding (HC189), achieving net zero (HC1035), and carbon capture utilisation and storage (HC120). Key message for us: managing complex problems with a distinct spatial expression, calls for a better way of delivering policy to clear outcomes, and without that better way, delivery of the net zero outcomes is greatly reduced.
Pioneering a Net Zero Future
Net Zero North West, April 2024.
Two points strike us while reading this manifesto: the scale of the opportunity and what is planned (investment, employment, pages 4-5); and the six skills priorities (page 24). Taken together they are of a scale to drive major change across the economy (especially in industry) North West of England.
Exploring sectoral relatedness in East Anglia: A new approach
Bennett Institute for Public Policy, University of Cambridge and the Productivity Institute, May 2024.
In our view, this is an important analysis as it looks at how sectors interact and relate to each other, and this is critical for skills and knowledge transfer between sectors. One of the four sectors picked out is the one it titles Net Zero using RTIC data from The Data City. What would be good to know is how the various local government bodies have made use of the analysis for their respective growth and skills strategies.
Tech Report: Scotland
UKTN sponsored by KPMG, May 2024.
Highlights the potential for start-ups in addressing climate related challenges, and the importance of the overall support ecosystem.
Delivering Net Zero: A framework for policy makers
Net Zero Pathfinders series of Bloomberg NEF, September 2024.
It’s worth scrolling down the reports Bloomberg NEF have produced (Public research on climate and nature)—here we have picked out one which describes a series of pillars across key elements of the economy. Provides clarity and priorities of action, and behind each one of these there is a skills action required. We can see policy makers finding the framework provided here of use in explaining plans and approaches to net zero.
City of Ithaca Green New Deal: An equitable transition to carbon neutrality by 2030
City of Ithaca, September 2024.
This is an ongoing project to transform Ithaca in New York State. Ithaca is a city of 32,000 people and metropolitan area of 106,000. Our interest here is the use of digital twinning of the 6,000 buildings across the city using expertise from Cornell University and their Urban Building Energy Model (UBEM) and the Green Upgrade Calculator of the RMI. The project reminds us of the Local Area Energy Plans we see in the UK and lend themselves to local collective plans. One element to be added to the analysis talked about here is the workload and skills required to tackle the electrification of 6,000 buildings.
Capturing the Benefits of Industrial Decarbonization for Houston and Beyond
RMI with Houston Energy Transition Initiative and Mission Impossible Partnership, October 2024.
Houston is a very important energy city in the USA: it has one third of the refining capacity in the USA (16 refineries) and petrochemical capacity (23 facilities), and is the largest generator of electricity (105 facilities). It is therefore of great interest to view its transition through three scenarios: business as usual, selective investment, and net zero. Simple message, if Houston can make the transition to net zero, then everywhere else can. And, in that transition, make full use of the expertise developed in developing the fossil fuel industries.
Toward a Clean Energy-led Economic Development Strategy for South Carolina
RMI, 2024.
For those looking for a template on which to develop an economic development strategy for a nation or region, here is one to use. It takes a wider view than just skills, jobs and employment but also looks at the wider human gains e.g. savings due to avoided deaths. The infographics are powerful too.
How Project 2025 could affect your state
Energy Innovation Policy & Technology, October 2024.
While Project 2025 is unlikely to see the light of day in the USA, what we found useful here was the modelling work to look at the probable impact of a series of policies on employment, on energy prices, domestic energy bills etc. What we thought could be useful would be for a similar interactive resource be developed in the UK to give net zero transition plans a real spatial impact element.
Pot Pourri
֎UK 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) – Letter of Advice
The Climate Change Committee for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, October 2024.
In preparation for COP29 the CCC has sent a letter to the Secretary of State at DESNZ (at his request) and in which it reiterates its recommendations and priority areas for action: all no-regret items such as EVs, heat pumps, electrification of industry (and heat), etc. All useful statements as they reinforce the messages education and training are responding to across the UK, and need to have a plan for the next 10 years (at least).
UK Innovation Survey 2023: Report
Department for Business and Trade, May 2024.
We have had a feeling that levels of innovation activity is critical to the development of the green economy, and we would expect to see key sectors, like construction, to have a rising level of innovation. Turning to Figure 5.2 we find there is a decline in innovation activity in construction at a time of major change across multiple aspects of the sector. Part of this might be due to the fragmented nature of the industry i.e. a huge proportion of SMEs, and also the very lengthy time periods it takes for innovation to diffuse across the sector.
Survival of the Fittest: From ESG to Competitive Sustainability
Institute for Sustainability, Cambridge, September 2024.
The core message here is one we have spoken about frequently: the need for shifts in (corporate) mindsets and reconceptualising of the market is vital to ensure that sustainability is THE way of doing business. Future corporate success will be defined by the ability to compete on superior sustainability. We have seen this in the recasting of competency frameworks for engineers (and other professional groups) and more widely through the Green Competency framework in Europe.
The New Nature of Business: The Path to Prosperity and Sustainability
Andre Hoffmann and Peter Vanham, Wiley, August 2024.
An interesting book which takes us on the path of discovery and realisation of Andre Hoffmann as he shaped the development of the “family” business. It also touches on other Swiss corporate greenings as well e.g. Holcim, the global cement maker. One message we took from reading this text was the timeframe it took to make a corporation shift its mindset into clear actions. A generation to make the shift from “status quo” to positive, progressive sustainability as the only way to do business.