Peter Head, director of Arup, a consulting firm, faced the London Development Agency’s (LDA) Martin Powell and Tim Fox, head of energy and environment at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Jim Hall and Kevin Anderson of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research also sat on the panel for the debate.
The scale of London’s challenge was highlighted by Kevin Anderson, director of the Tyndall Centre, as he outlined the massive rate and scale at which we must reduce CO2 emissions in order to tackle climate change.
He said, “Cumulative emissions are what count; this is not a long term problem, but one that must be tackled today. Behaviour change is key. Targets are important because they characterise the rate and scale of change needed.”
Mr Head said that London needs to retrofit on a ‘massive scale’, which will create jobs and up-skill whole communities.
Mr Powell agreed: “Billions of pounds will be invested by the Mayor to enable London to meet its CO2 emissions reduction target of 60% by 2025. We will see the return on this investment.”
The panellists concluded that, post-Copenhagen, the emphasis is once again on cities and citizenship as the focal point for action.
Mr Head continued, “Climate change is a rising concern amongst Londoners, according to public opinion polls. Communities need a vision, and engineers need to find low carbon solutions. It’s a journey and we must start now.”
