Climate Emergency Economy Project

What would an economy that faced up to the reality of the climate emergency look like? To truly meet the challenge, the UK must rethink our industrial and economic dependency on materials and products sourced from around the world.

Project Video

Over three years from 2019-2022, Green House is exploring how trade, industry and infrastructure need to change to meet zero carbon goals. In 2022 this project is organised by the Green European Foundation with the support of Green House Think Tank, Green Foundation Ireland, and Etopia, and with the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation. In 2022 the project is focused on 'Rethinking Demand'.

At the bottom of this page you can find all the reports and events that make up this project. These build on our recent work envisioning a postgrowth Britain and our focus on climate jobs, which quantified the employment that could be created across the UK in facing up to the climate emergency.

Highlights:

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GIF highlight GHG emissions from UK Trade

Trade & Investment report quantified the massive scale of transport infrastructure investment plans across the UK and EU and how this fails to align to existing climate targets. This highlights that whilst heavy goods transport, shipping and aviation are some of the hardest to decarbonise, demand for these transport modes are not being managed or constrained in line with climate commitments. The report is framed using the Zero Carbon Policy Toolkit introduced in Green House’s August 2020 report, Trade and Investment Requirements for Zero Carbon. Other key reports in this project include:

Zero Carbon Policy Toolkit

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Click image to download booklet and infographic

Climate Emergency Economy Project Publications and Events

Prashant Vaze

You Never Give Me Your Money

The COP29 conference is floundering with the usual tussle between the Global South asking for financial support to green their energy systems and the Global North pleading poverty. This article looks at some radical solutions for this impasse.



Just TransitionGeopoliticsClimate Emergency EconomyFinanceOpinion PiecesPublications
Green House Think Tank

Climate Emergency: Economics, Politics, Honesty

This Framing Paper by Jonathan Essex on behalf of Green House Think Tank outlines areas of focus for our forthcoming project. Green House is grappling with what this all means in practice and welcomes contributions and collaboration.



Climate Emergency EconomyFacing up to Climate RealityGeopoliticsPublicationsOpinion Pieces
Jonathan Essex

Presentation: Why do green jobs plans need a different politics and economics?

Jonathan Essex speaks at the Greener Jobs Alliance AGM about why green jobs plans need different politics and economics.



Climate JobsClimate Emergency EconomyEvents
Green House Think Tank

Event: The Geopolitics of Degrowth

Join us in London or online on 17th Oct 2023 for another informative debate in our ongoing exploration of the geopolitics of a post-growth Europe!



GeopoliticsClimate Emergency EconomyEvents
Emma Dawnay

Is the Green Book fit for purpose in a climate emergency?

Recommendations from a round table discussion which took place in Autumn 2022. The Green Book, is produced by HM Treasury (HMT), and sets out how to assess public sector projects or policy interventions to ensure that projects give value for money.



ReportsPublicationsClimate Emergency EconomyEventsFinance
Jonathan Essex

Heating and Cooling of Buildings

This Policy Briefing applies recommendations of the Rethinking Energy Demand framing report to the heating and cooling of buildings. It outlines the current context, the need to reduce the number of buildings heated and the amount of heating and cooling needed within them.



Climate Emergency EconomyReportsBriefing Papers
Jonathan Essex

Rethinking Energy Demand

Framing Report published in collaboration with Green European Foundation - If industrialised European societies are to reach zero carbon on a timescale compatible with limiting climate change, they must significantly reduce their energy demand. This will disrupt business-as-usual.



Climate Emergency EconomyReportsPublications
Green House Think Tank

Reality and Opportunity - Events October 2022

Join Rethinking Demand Project Events in Dublin, Belfast and online across Europe. These events are collaboration between the Green European Foundation, Green House Think Tank (UK), Green Foundation Ireland, and Etopia (Belgium).



Climate Emergency EconomyEvents
Green House Think Tank

Rethinking Demand

Project Launch. The Climate Emergency Economy project in 2022 will focusing on rethinking demand for energy and materials.



Climate Emergency Economy
Andrew Mearman

Finance-based transition solutions: approach with caution

Andrew presents the fundamental criticisms made by economists Clive Spash and Frédéric Hache of the influential Dasgupta Review of the economics of biodiversity. Whether or not these criticisms are persuasive, their review points to significant dangers lurking in the financialisation of Nature.



Opinion PiecesPublicationsClimate Emergency EconomyFinance
Peter Sims

Beyond Consumerism Conference

Green House Think Tank involvement in upcoming 'Beyond Consumerism Conference' on 14th May.



Climate Emergency Economy
Max Farmiloe

Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World: the implications of René Girard’s thought for consumer society.

Max Familioe considers the work of René Girard on desire, and it's relevant to Rethinking Demand and Facing up to Climate Relativity.



Green ReadsClimate Emergency EconomyFacing up to Climate Reality
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