Public Sector Net Zero 2025

In 2023, transport was the largest emitting sector in the UK as it contributed 29.1% of the nation’s carbon emissions. Whilst the push for net zero had already begun, this was still an increase of 3.7% when compared to 2022.

In order to try and combat this, local authorities are introducing plans to increase clean air in towns and cities nationwide. Some of the ways that this is being done include improve active travel infrastructure, and improving public transport access to the places that people need to be. The government has also committed £291m to support active travel schemes that will support cleaner and greener public spaces.

Kicking off the online conference, this panel will delve into understand the challenges and solutions faced by the public sector as it looks to deliver better, more sustainable transport.

The second panel discussion of the conference will see panellists coming together to discuss the role that technology and innovation can play as the public sector works towards its net zero goals.

One such technology is artificial intelligence, which has already begun to make strides in improving sustainability and innovation across the sector. With this including projects that can help with energy optimisation, the future of sustainability could lie with AI and whatever technology might come next.

Join us for this panel to get the key insight into how technology can help to achieve net zero by 2050.

Last year’s change of government brought a renewed vision for how the country will be powered. Whilst alternative fuels such as wind and solar have become more widespread, there is still something of a reliance on fossil fuel.

In recent years, the nation’s reliance in importing fuels has also meant that there was a lack of energy independence. The mission to tackle this has already begun, with the government establishing Great British Energy changing the rules around where significant infrastructure such as wind farms can be placed.

This panel will focus on the challenges that face the nation’s move to more sustainable energy, and how those challenges can be overcome for the good of the planet.

As the nation continues to learn more about the benefits of electric vehicles, and they become more accessible, one hurdle that must be overcome is the continued lack of EV infrastructure.

More and more chargers are popping up around the country, however issues still remain about how they will be funded, where they should be placed, and how they can be integrated into communities that existed long before they were conceived. One solution has been the LEVI fund, which is has supported local authorities with their EV infrastructure goals, however more must be done if public confidence in EVs is to improve.

To learn more about how the public sector can support the push for improved EV infrastructure, this panel will bring key insight, including looking into how authorities can support the goal of installing 300,000 charge points by 2030.

Net zero responsibilities for public bodies don’t just relate to how they can support communities to become greener, they also need to look inwardly to how their physical buildings and properties can be more efficient.

Be it an office, a town hall, a police station, or a hospital, organisations are constantly looking at new ways to reduce the emissions being produced by their buildings, which has led to new ways of working and thinking. New lights, heating sources, or even solar panels are all supporting this push.

The final panel discussion of the conference will take a look into how some organisations have been successful in reducing their own emissions, some of the challenges that come with this work, and how you can make your workplace greener.