Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Third Report - Green Jobs
Environmental Audit Committee
HC 75
Published 25 October 2021
Recommendations
2
Para 20
We recommend that, by the end of 2021, the Government set out how it will...
Recommendation
We recommend that, by the end of 2021, the Government set out how it will measure progress towards its green jobs targets; this should include its definition of ‘green jobs’, and how it will measure the number, type and location …
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4
Para 27
We recommend that the Government, in its response to this report, set out its arrangements...
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government, in its response to this report, set out its arrangements for cross-departmental delivery of green jobs and skills ambitions, identifying: a) each department’s responsibilities; b) how it will monitor and co-ordinate delivery across departments; and …
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6
We recommend that by the end of 2021 the department or body with overall responsibility...
Recommendation
We recommend that by the end of 2021 the department or body with overall responsibility for delivery of the Government’s green jobs policies should, in collaboration with the different departments engaged in green jobs policy, assign indicative costings to each …
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8
Para 44
We recommend that the Government’s net zero and environmental goals are considered at the design...
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government’s net zero and environmental goals are considered at the design stage of future labour market interventions, to ensure that such interventions are fully aligned with the green recovery.
10
Para 55
We reiterate the recommendation from our earlier report that the Government should work with conservation...
Recommendation
We reiterate the recommendation from our earlier report that the Government should work with conservation organisations to pilot a National Nature Service during 2022.
12
Para 65
We recommend that the Government’s own analysis into the Green Homes Grant voucher scheme be...
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government’s own analysis into the Green Homes Grant voucher scheme be completed during 2021 to ensure lessons learned inform future schemes’ designs, and include a plan for industry engagement, to rebuild trust.
16
Para 73
We recommend that Defra’s Skills Gap Plan cover all areas of the 25 Year Environment...
Recommendation
We recommend that Defra’s Skills Gap Plan cover all areas of the 25 Year Environment Plan and be accompanied by an Action Plan to address skills shortages, developed in co-ordination with the Department for Education and stakeholders. The Skills Gap …
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20
We recommend that a just transition plan: a) be published by the end of 2021;...
Recommendation
We recommend that a just transition plan: a) be published by the end of 2021; b) assess regional as well as sectoral impact, to ensure regional skills transitioning plus employment and pensions support is in place; and c) include a …
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22
The Government needs to set out in its just transition plan how it will address...
Recommendation
The Government needs to set out in its just transition plan how it will address this risk. During 2021, the Government should conduct analysis into how a UK CBAM could comply with international trade obligations. (Paragraph 91) Education and skills …
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24
Para 102
We recommend that environmental sustainability be included across all primary and secondary courses delivered through...
Recommendation
We recommend that environmental sustainability be included across all primary and secondary courses delivered through the National Curriculum and across A Level courses. Teachers should be supported to deliver this, with teacher training and continuous professional development. We recommend that …
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26
Para 104
By the end of January 2022, the Government should engage with delivery partners and schools...
Recommendation
By the end of January 2022, the Government should engage with delivery partners and schools in order to extend the Children and Nature programme beyond March 2022 and expand the number of delivery projects within the programme, using the evaluation …
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28
Para 113
We recommend that a module on environmental sustainability be included in every apprenticeship and T...
Recommendation
We recommend that a module on environmental sustainability be included in every apprenticeship and T Level course. The Government should consult with stakeholders during the 2021/22 academic year on how to implement this.
30
Para 122
We recommend that the Government extend the equivalent or lower funding rule exemption to full-time...
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government extend the equivalent or lower funding rule exemption to full-time STEM and geographical and environmental courses from 2022/23.
32
We recommend that by the end of 2021, the Skills and Productivity Board, or similar...
Recommendation
We recommend that by the end of 2021, the Skills and Productivity Board, or similar body, is tasked with ongoing monitoring of skills needs, with regular periodic reviews, to ensure forward-looking and responsive skills planning which encompasses the needs of …
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34
Para 140
By the end of 2021, the Government should set out its ambitions for improving diversity...
Recommendation
By the end of 2021, the Government should set out its ambitions for improving diversity and inclusion in the green workforce and set out how it will measure diversity and inclusion in green jobs, for the purpose of monitoring and …
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38
By the end of 2021, the Government should set out how it will adapt its...
Recommendation
By the end of 2021, the Government should set out how it will adapt its Careers Strategy to align with its net zero and environmental goals, including how it will reach different groups of the population to increase awareness of …
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Conclusions (22)
1
Conclusion
Para 19
There is no single definition, nor single way to measure green jobs. The Government’s ambitions for accelerating the number of green jobs over the 2020s are welcome, but without a clear definition and metric, the Government will be unable to assess whether its policies are leading to good quality, green …
3
Conclusion
Para 26
‘Green jobs’ is a cross-cutting issue, requiring action across Government alongside co-ordination with local authorities and the devolved administrations to deliver the Government’s ambitions. Clear lines of responsibility and a mechanism for co- ordination are needed, otherwise green jobs risks being given insufficient priority within departments, constraining the Government’s efforts …
5
Conclusion
Para 35
Departments need to understand the delivery costs for their green jobs responsibilities to ensure their spending plans include sufficient allocation for this. Any analysis of environmental skills needs in local government needs to be accompanied by an assessment of the funding requirements for the green jobs and skills that are …
7
Conclusion
Para 43
Just 1 per cent of Kickstart scheme jobs were in green sectors. While we understand the need to support current industries, we consider that an opportunity has been missed for a greener employment recovery scheme, to contribute towards the Government’s ‘building back greener’ aims.
9
Conclusion
Para 54
We first recommended that the Government pilot a National Nature Service in our report ‘Growing back better: putting nature and net zero at the heart of the economic recovery’. The Government’s response did not engage directly with this proposal. A National Nature Service would build valuable capacity in the nature …
11
Conclusion
Para 64
The voucher element of the Green Homes Grant scheme, the Government’s recent flagship scheme to address covid-19 impact while stimulating jobs in the green sector of home retrofit for energy efficiency, was not a success, and may even have put people out of work; there is a need to rebuild …
13
Conclusion
Para 66
The scale of the challenge to retrofit homes is significant, as recognised by the Government when launching the Green Homes Grant scheme, claiming it would create 100,000 green jobs. With millions of homes requiring retrofitting to achieve decarbonisation through improved insulation alongside electrification by heat pump installation, or, in due …
14
Conclusion
In line with our recommendation for a national retrofit strategy in our Energy Efficiency in Existing Homes report, by the end of 2021 the Government needs to set out a programme to encourage the development of relevant skills across the construction trade, including small and medium-sized enterprises, to stimulate development …
15
Conclusion
Para 72
We have heard concerns that skills shortages will affect delivery of the Government’s long-term environmental goals, as set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan. It is welcome that Defra are currently working on a Skills Gap Plan to identify where there are skills shortages and collaborating with other departments …
17
Conclusion
Para 81
We welcome the Government’s commitment to ensuring regions are not left behind in the transition. To ensure this is delivered, it is vital that the Government carry out some planning for a just transition and how the Government intends to support it. This must include plans for public engagement to …
18
Conclusion
Para 82
As action to deliver a just transition will require collaboration across Government and co-ordination with local government and the devolved administrations, the plan also needs to set out departmental responsibilities, and monitoring and co- ordinating arrangements. This plan might be included alongside the document setting out departmental responsibilities and funding, …
19
Conclusion
Para 83
Some regions will be particularly affected by the transition. While the Government cannot actively manage the whole transition, it is important to assess where impacts will fall to ensure there are policies for support and replacement green jobs in place, in line with the Government’s levelling up ambitions.
21
Conclusion
Para 90
There is a risk that the net zero transition could lead to UK job and skills losses if carbon-emitting industries simply move overseas. A carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), recommended in our report ‘Growing back better: putting nature and net zero at the heart of the economic recovery’, should be …
23
Conclusion
Para 101
In school, education on climate change and environmental sustainability is limited to a few subjects. It is important that it is included across all courses to give all students a basic grounding in environmental issues and to show how their subjects can be useful in tacking environmental challenges, whatever sector …
25
Conclusion
Para 103
Our previous report on biodiversity in the UK identified that education could provide a crucial lever to address inequalities in access to nature. The Government’s Children and Nature Programme went some way in increasing access opportunities for schoolchildren, however the programme is due to end in March 2022. We consider …
27
Conclusion
Apprenticeships are a fast way to bring new skills into a workplace, but climate and environmental sustainability issues are not embedded across them. If they were, this would allow apprentices to apply this knowledge directly to their jobs, addressing employer green skills gaps. This should be extended to the new …
29
Conclusion
Para 121
Extending the equivalent or lower funding rule exemption to full-time science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and geographical and environmental courses would allow quicker retraining in higher level skills needed in the future green economy.
31
Conclusion
Para 131
Without closely monitoring current and future skills needs and shortages across the net zero transition, there is a risk that today’s courses and training are not addressing the demands of the future. This monitoring needs to be ongoing, to respond to changes in the economy over the course of the …
33
Conclusion
Para 139
To be able to monitor whether its ambitions to increase diversity and inclusion in the green workforce are being achieved, the Government needs to articulate these ambitions in a measurable way and have a metric for measuring diversity and inclusion in the green workforce.
35
Conclusion
Something that has not been considered in the Green Jobs Taskforce report recommendations is the wider enabling infrastructure which allows people to physically access green job opportunities, such as public transport, care and rural broadband connectivity. This will involve co-ordination across the Government. This wider infrastructure needs to be factored …
36
Conclusion
Para 145
The Government’s green jobs and just transition delivery plans should include analysis of the enabling infrastructure needed for people to access new green jobs, and allocate actions to the departments with responsibilities over this infrastructure.
37
Conclusion
Para 154
There is a gap in the public’s awareness of green job opportunities and how to access them. It is welcome that the Government acknowledges the importance of green careers advice, however the Government’s latest Careers Strategy (2017) pre-dates both its net zero (2019) and 25 Year Environment Plan (2018) ambitions, …