For London to be a zero-carbon, zero pollution city by 2030 and a zero-waste city by 2050, significant investment and change will be required on the part of London’s businesses. This involves both introducing new ‘green’ initiatives, jobs and businesses, and also decarbonising and adopting sustainable practices among the existing businesses and organisations in London to make them more environmentally friendly, low-carbon and sustainable.
The hospitality sector in London has been significantly affected by the pandemic and by employment shortages. It also relies on several sectors (transport, storage) that are higher-carbon and higher-priority for the ‘green transition’. Yet London is also home to a number of hospitality businesses that are taking innovative sustainable approaches to their work.
Last week, the London Assembly Environment Committee held a roundtable meeting at Silo in Hackney – the world’s first zero-waste restaurant. The meeting included owners and representatives of London hospitality businesses and discussed greener ways of working.
Tomorrow, the Environment Committee will follow up that conversation by:
- Examining the opportunities and challenges that exist for businesses in London, particularly in hospitality as they commit to taking greener measures in their work
- Considering the Greater London Authority (GLA) approach to supporting a green transition for London’s businesses, including small and medium enterprises
- Reviewing the GLA support and guidance available for specific types of businesses including London’s restaurants and hotels on their green transition options
- Exploring how a green transition can also be a ‘just transition’, delivering benefits to the most vulnerable in society
The guests are:
- Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy
- Catherine Barber, Assistant Director, Environment and Energy, GLA
- Dr Ashok Sinha, Chair, London Sustainable Development Commission
- Hamid Tavassoli, Programme Lead – Greener Businesses, SELCE
- Mark Jenkinson, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry
The meeting will take place Wednesday, 7 December 2022 from 2pm in The Chamber at City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE.
Media and members of the public are invited to attend.
The meeting can be viewed LIVE or later via webcast or YouTube
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Notes to editors
- Read the agenda papers.
- Zack Polanski AM, Chair of the Environment Committee, is available for interview.
- Find out more about the work of the Environment Committee.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For media enquiries, please contact Emma Bowden on 07849 303 897. For out of hours media enquiries, call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the London Assembly duty press officer.