Key information
Decision type: Assistant Director
Directorate: Good Growth
Reference code: ADD2627
Date signed:
Date published:
Decision by: Catherine Barber, Assistant Director of Environment and Energy
Executive summary
The London Sustainable Development Commission (LSDC) provides independent advice to the Mayor on sustainability. The LSDC is currently producing strategic advice to the Mayor on how London can achieve an equitable transition to a net-zero economy: a ‘just transition’. The LSDC wishes to turn those high-level recommendations into practical policy-making proposals by engaging technical experts to developing guidance to inform how ‘just transition’ principles could be embedded in London policy-making. The LSDC also wishes to conduct research on which communities will be most impacted by the green transition in order to target that guidance most effectively. This decision form requests approval to spend up to £49,000 to that end.
Decision
That the Assistant Director of Energy and Environment approves:
Expenditure of up to £49,000 on consultancy services to support the London Sustainable Development Commission’s work on London’s equitable transition to net-zero carbon (‘just transition), comprising research on community impacts and technical guidance for policy-makers.
Part 1: Non-confidential facts and advice
1.1. The London Sustainable Development Commission (LSDC) was established in 2002 to give independent advice to the Mayor on sustainability. The LSDC is undertaking work to understand what must be done in order for London to achieve an equitable transition to a net-zero economy: a ‘just transition’. To date this work has:
• hosted a conference on ‘London’s Just Transition’, which drew together perspectives from a range of sectors and backgrounds in the capital and published a report on the conference’s findings;
• embarked on producing a report to give high-level advice to the Mayor and other key stakeholders on how to achieve a just transition in London.
1.2. The next step of this work will be to develop guidance for policy-makers to embed ‘just transition’ principles in policy-making, including the new suite of Mayoral strategies, supported by research to enable benefits and costs to be shared fairly by London’s communities.
2.1. This work seeks to support London’s equitable transition to a net-zero carbon economy – a ‘just transition. This will ensure that the benefits and costs of London’s green transition are distributed fairly.
2.2. It will produce practical guidance to help GLA and borough decision-makers to incorporate ‘just transition’ principles into policy-making, including the new suite of Mayoral strategies. This will be supported by researching the comparative impacts on London’s communities of the activities outlined in the Mayor’s Accelerated Green Pathway to Net Zero 2030, enabling evidence-based and targeted policies that support London’s most marginalised communities.
2.3. The guidance will be disseminated for adoption by borough and GLA officers, who will also contribute to its development to ensure buy-in and relevance from the outset. Successful outcomes of the work will be communicated externally via the LSDC’s engagement plan, budget for which is agreed under ADD2564.
3.1. The work will not have any negative impacts on any groups with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.
3.2. The work is likely to have a beneficial impact on equalities by providing insight into how climate policies can be designed in a way that supports marginalised groups, particularly BAME communities and low-income Londoners.
Key risks and issues
Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities
4.1. In seeking to support equitable climate policies, this work supports the goals of the Mayor’s London Environment Strategy and Equalities and Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, as well as the Green New Deal Mission which seeks to build a green and fair recovery. It also connects with the Mayor’s priority to engage communities in decision-making. The GLA teams leading on those Mayoral priorities have been engaged in developing this project to ensure alignment.
Consultations and impact assessments
4.2. This work will contain an impact assessment of how communities will be affected by the transition to London’s zero-carbon economy, including equalities impacts (see section 3). This will not constitute a formal Equalities Impact Assessment (EqIA) but will be informed by the GLA’s approach to EqIAs. There are no identified health or safeguarding issues.
Data protection
4.3. Contact data (name, role, email address) for a small number of key stakeholders’ will be held for the purposes of maintaining communications with them. It will managed in accordance with GDPR and will not be published. All other data gathered and used will be statistical data and reports already available in the public domain.
Conflict of interest
4.4. There are no conflicts of interest to note from any of those involved in the drafting or clearance of this form.
5.1. Assistant Director’s approval is sought for expenditure of up to £49,000 on consultancy services to support the London Sustainable Development Commission’s work on London’s equitable transition to net-zero carbon.
5.2. This expenditure is to be funded from the Environment Team (Strategy and Green Recovery Team) recurring programme budget: £20,000 from 2022-2023 budget and £29,000 from 2023-2024 which is part of the Sustainable Development budget line.
5.3. Expenditure for 2023-24 is contingent on the conclusion and approval of the Authority’s budget setting process for 2023-24.
Signed decision document
ADD2627 London's just transition - SIGNED