Navigating to Net Zero

Britain needs more green cheerleaders to drive transition to Net Zero, argues Sam Patchett at Profile

 

If you look at any list of the greenest economies in the world, chances are the UK will rank near the top. Whether you judge a country by the major sectors that drive its economic growth, its current or future emissions, the strength of its environmental policies, or otherwise, the UK is widely considered to be one of the most sustainable markets on the planet.

 

But Britain’s reputation as a green economy lags behind famously ‘clean’ countries such as Sweden and Denmark. The Nordics are renowned for their renewable energy and their commitment to environmental policies, and they’re often heralded as shining examples for other countries to follow.

 

Even Saudi Arabia is starting to carve out its own sustainability credentials with a flurry of green projects as part of its state-funded 2030 Vision.

 

But people rarely draw the same conclusions with the British economy. Perhaps Britain’s role in the mass-polluting industrial revolution has a legacy hangover, as people would sooner associate Britain’s economy with the coal-powered factories of the nineteenth century rather than the latest innovations in sustainable technology.

 

The truth is, the UK needs to correct the narrative and rectify its reputation. And to do this, it needs more green cheerleaders from its business community.

 

If we are to think about well-known British business leaders who go out of their way to champion the UK’s sustainable industries, few come to mind. Greg Jackson has done well to establish himself as the face for clean energy, but it’s slim pickings when it comes to other green spokespeople making a name for themselves.

 

As the UK, and indeed the rest of the world, continues on its journey to Net Zero, we need CEOs, founders, entrepreneurs, and investors creating a sense of excitement about the green transition. Cutting emissions is too often seen as a burden, whereas it should be imagined as an opportunity to create a better, more efficient, more sustainable economy.

 

This problem isn’t specific to the UK. Even Elon Musk – who owns one of the biggest electric car manufacturers in the world – doesn’t position himself as a green entrepreneur. In fact, he’s cosying up to US President Elect Donald Trump, who doesn’t have a reputation for prioritising climate or environment orientated policies.

 

Policymakers and activists often steal the limelight when it comes to leadership on sustainability policy. Most people think of COP or Greta Thunberg when talking about action on the climate or environment. But people are getting equally sick of a lack of meaningful progress from Governments, NGOs and activists. The failed talks at COP29 in Baku in November may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back of public trust.

 

It’s created a corporate whitespace that needs to be owned, and the UK needs to step up with more bold leadership.

 

We need business leaders that put Britain on the map as a hub of sustainability and innovation.

 

After all, the credentials are there. For example, the UK has some of the largest and groundbreaking clean energy projects in the world.

 

The Dogger Bank Windfarm off the coast of Yorkshire, started producing electricity in 2023 and is considered to be the largest offshore wind farm in the world. A joint venture between SSE Renewables, Equinor, and Vårgrønn, the project will be able to power up to six million homes when it is fully up and running.

 

Dogger Bank isn’t alone – the Inch Cape Wind Farm, the Tees Biomass Station, and the Cleve Hill Solar Park are all world-leading projects in their own right.

 

They’re the kind of projects that should be a shining beacon of how the UK is leading the way in driving forward a cleaner economy. But many people are completely unaware of their existence, let alone knowledgeable of the leaders and innovators and behind the projects.

 

It’s not just renewable energy. The UK has some of the world’s most innovative cleantech firms that often fly under the radar. Whether they’re designing sustainable transport, manufacturing agritech products, or inventing carbon capture solutions, putting the UK on a map as a hub of sustainable innovation is often at the bottom of their priority list.

 

If the UK wants to be a global technology hub, why not put tech that’s designed to combat climate change and drive positive environmental change at the centre of the PR push? Afterall, the UK is never going to compete with the Apples, Amazons, and Nvidias of this world. It simply doesn’t have the capital. It makes more sense to establish ourselves as a leader in a tech sub-sector instead, and all the pieces of the puzzle are already there for that sub-sector to be cleantech.

 

The UK is a green economy. It has some of the most exciting projects, companies, start-ups, and most importantly, leaders creating a more sustainable future. But more needs to be done to champion Britain’s green industry, and it all starts with bold corporate leadership. 

 

---

 

Sam Patchett is COO at Profile

 

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto and Autthapol Champathong