New Year, New Zemo
Feature
Zemo's new Executive Director, Claire Haigh, discusses what's next for Zemo Partnership, under her leadership
It’s a new year and a new start for Zemo. After more than a decade at the helm of what was the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership, Andy Eastlake stepped down last Christmas.
Some of you may have attended Zemo’s 20th anniversary conference at City Hall on a hot, sunny day last summer where we were able to celebrate the Partnership’s successes and achievements of the last two decades, many of them under Andy’s committed leadership.
I’m aware that I take over at Zemo at a critical time in the UK’s transition to net zero transport. Much has been achieved, but there’s so much more to do. We have most of the technologies, we have the targets…now it’s time to focus on delivery.
It’s certainly been a hectic start! At a special event held in Westminster on Feb 1st, we announced the creation of a new Council for Net Zero Transport, to be convened by Zemo. We were delighted that Lord Deben, the former UK environment minister and, until recently, Chair of the Climate Change Committee, has agreed to be the Council’s first Chair.
The intention is that the new body will help bring focus to transport’s decarbonisation transition as we move into the crucial delivery phase. It will engage senior figures from government, industry, the environment and academic sectors to help inform the activities of the Partnership as we work together to forge clear, strategic roadmaps which will show the way to full transport decarbonisation by 2050.
Transport is a critical part of what was Lord Deben’s old job at the CCC, of course. It’s perhaps the sector that’s most challenging to decarbonise, comprising over a quarter of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions. We must tackle transport if we’re to meet the legally binding targets for net zero emissions.
The policy prescriptions needed to do this are complex, nuanced and cross-sectoral. Achieving a successful outcome, though, will be a huge win for the UK’s environment, society and economy.
Meeting the targets is going to need the full participation of government (nationally and locally) industry, consumers and – of course - transport operators.
I am very much looking forward to working with you on the next, exciting part of the journey to net zero!
