news

Net Zero Transport Board meets to discuss UK green recovery

Posted: 9 July 2020 |

Industry leaders have met for the first time as part of the UK’s Net Zero transport Board to ensure a joined-up approach to tackling transport decarbonisation.

Net Zero Transport Board meets to discuss UK green recovery

Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, launched the first meeting of the Net Zero Transport Board on 8 July 2020 to help guide the decarbonisation of UK transport.

The board brought together high-profile leaders from a range of fields including behavioural change and policy, as well as experts from a number of prominent industry sectors including environment, science, aviation and technology. The meetings aimed to guarantee a truly collaborative and joined up approach to tackling the wide-ranging issue of transport decarbonisation.

The group provided the opportunity for the Transport Secretary, Transport Minister, Rachel Maclean, and Minister for Clean Growth, Kwasi Kwarteng, to hear from high-profile expert stakeholders on what steps they feel Government should be taking to ensure a green recovery from coronavirus (COVID-19) and the associated economic impact.

The agenda covered what further action the Government should be taking to support jobs and the economy in line with the UK’s transport decarbonisation goals, with the Transport Secretary highlighting the Government’s aim for two million jobs to be created by 2030 in the low carbon economy and its supply chains, up from 460,000 currently.

Shapps added that many of the actions being taken to deliver net zero are investments that will also stimulate the economy and grow new low carbon industries across the UK.

He said: “Transport has a huge part to play in tackling climate change and today’s meeting is another important step for this country on our road to net zero.

“Clearly our ground-breaking transport decarbonisation plan must be shaped by the best brains and informed by the widest array of expertise and experience.

“I’m determined to build a greener, healthier, more prosperous Britain for future generations and I have no doubt that the Net Zero Transport Board will play an integral part in our green recovery.”

Alongside the first meeting of the board, the Government also provided an opportunity for the public to feed back their views online on the development of the transport decarbonisation plan to ensure that the plan works for everyone.

Maclean said: “The Transport Net Zero Board will be a key component of our greenprint for the future.

“The coronavirus pandemic has led to people making huge changes to the way they live, work and travel, and we want to capitalise and build on the new habits people have developed, as well as champion the power of new, cleaner technologies on our road to a green recovery.”