Recommendation 20

Government investment in new technologies, such as carbon capture and storage, could benefit particular regions of the UK and support the government’s levelling up agenda, which aims to create opportunity for everyone in all regions and address disparities in economic and social outcomes.35 We asked the Department about ensuring the transition to a net zero economy was done in a just way, in particular the planned skills and training support for people working in sectors expected to decline or change significantly as part of the move to net zero, so that they were prepared for the change. We specifically asked about people who will have to move into different kinds of employment, such as car manufacturing moving to predominantly electric vehicles or people moving from the oil and gas sectors into solar power. The Department confirmed that developing these skills would be very important, but told us that while this was a big area of focus, there was time before developing sectors such as carbon capture will be employing people 32 Q 34, C&AG’s Report paras 8, 3.23, Figure 12 33 Q 34; C&AG’s Report, para 8 34 Qq 36-37 35 C&AG’s Report, paras 1.9 Achieving Net Zero 15 at scale. It noted that, as one of the important opportunities for new job creation, it would be important to ensure that plans for net zero provided job in the right locations and weren’t only concentrated in the south-east. It also recognised that it would need to ensure that its plans were integrated into the Department for Education’s work on skills and explained it was working with the Department for Education to identify the people and skills the industries affected would need.36 Engaging with local authorities