EWS | DIGEST IN BRIEF 20bn a year needed to deliver net zero It will cost up to 20bn a year to deliver the governments net-zero carbon target by 2050, according to a new report by Vivid Economics. Decarbonisation measures would cost between 1bn and 2bn a year up to 2030, rising to between 6bn and 20bn depending on which technologies are adopted, the research claims. The most expensive measures, such as carbon capture, could cost between 160 to 470 a tonne of savings, while the cheapest options, such as habitat restoration, would cost between 8 and 78 per tonne, the economists calculate. Local authorities sign clean-energy deal Technology firm Siemens has signed an agreement with a group of 94 local authorities to unlock investment in clean-energy projects. All parties will now work with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to create a pipeline of clean-energy projects by combining finance from local authorities, private capital partners and government sources. According to Siemens, a survey of local authorities suggested that more than 100bn could be rolled out to develop and commercialise clean-energy projects. Circular economy crucial to tackling carbon emissions Fewer than 10% of the 92.8 billion tonnes of materials used annually are reused, claims yachtswomans foundation Decarbonising the energy sector will not deliver a net-zero carbon economy, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF). The environmental charity has produced a report calling for the wider adoption of circular economy principles, such as closed-loop value chains and carbon capture and storage, which, it says, could lead to cuts in emissions of more than 9.3 billion tonnes. The report, Completing the Picture: How the Circular Economy tackles Climate Change, states that a wholesale switch to renewables would only address 55% of greenhouse gas emissions. It examines how the circular economy could shake up production of steel, plastic, aluminium, cement and food. Keeping materials in use can reduce emissions by up to 40%, claims the foundation. To achieve targets on climate, it is critical that we transform how we design, make, and use products and food, said EMF founder Dame Ellen MacArthur. This paper shows that transitioning to a circular economy is not only an opportunity to tackle emissions across sectors, but also to design an economy that is restorative and regenerative, creating benefits for society, businesses and the environment. Currently, just 9% of the global economy could be considered circular, which means fewer than 10% of the 92.8 billion tonnes of materials used annually are reused, according to the report. It predicts that material use will double by 2050 to keep up with global economic growth having already tripled since the 1970s. Dame Ellen MacArthur Scotlands 2045 zero carbon target Scottish MSPs have unanimously backed a new Climate Bill committing the nation to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2045. The vote was 113 to 0 in favour of moving on from Scotlands previous climate target of a 90% reduction in emissions by 2050. Ministers also agreed to a Labour Party amendment raising its interim target to cut net emissions by 75% by 2030 measured against a 1990 baseline. A pledge to hold a citizens assembly on how to tackle climate change was added to the bill. Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said the government was putting in place the most stringent framework of statutory targets of any country in the world. But Green MSP Mark Ruskell said the bill did not represent meaningful action and urged other political parties to stop hiding behind targets. BCIA chief calls for one small change The Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) has launched an initiative to encourage people to make one small change to their everyday lives to improve energy efficiency in buildings. The organisation is urging individuals to share their successes on social media using the hashtag #OneSmallChange, and it held a joint event with the CIBSE FM Group to promote measures for improving the performance of buildings in operation. It is easy to think that issues surrounding climate change are too big to be fixed and that the actions of individuals will not make a difference, said BCIA president Jon Belfield. However, if each one of us takes one small step on a daily basis to save energy usage, collectively it makes a huge difference. Belfield praised the seven finalists in the CIBSE ASHRAE Graduate of the Year Award, held in October, for outlining how collaborative determination, innovation and commitment can help the UK achieve its net-zero carbon target by 2050. We all have to change our relationship with energy and #OneSmallChange serves to cover simple actions, as well as more complicated initiatives such as a demand-driven strategy for ventilation, added Belfield. 8 November 2019 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE Nov19 pp08-09 News.indd 8 25/10/2019 15:22