UK announces £350m funding boost for green recovery

THE UK Government has announced £350m (US$445m) in funding for a green recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.

The funding is primarily to cut emissions in heavy industry, construction, space and transport sectors. The Government has allocated £139m for emissions reductions technology in heavy industry by scaling up carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology along with transitioning from natural gas to hydrogen. Heavy industry was also allocated a further £149m to encourage the use of innovative materials, such as using waste ash in the glass and ceramics industry.  

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We’ve made great strides towards our net zero target over the last year, but it’s more important than ever that we keep up the pace of change to fuel a green, sustainable recovery as we rebuild from the pandemic.”

Ana Musat, Policy Manager at the Aldersgate Group, a multi-stakeholder alliance championing a sustainable economy, said: “Today’s R&D funding announcements are rightly targeted at sectors where making progress to cut emissions is both difficult but also essential if the UK is to have an economic recovery with an ambitious climate programme at its core. Beyond R&D funding, decarbonising hard to treat sectors like heavy industry or aviation will need to be achieved by and large through private investment, which itself will require clear policy signals before it is committed.”

Johnson also launched the first meeting of the Jet Zero Council, which is working towards tackling emissions from aviation. Adam Morton, Chair of Sustainable Aviation, said: “It is exciting to see that establishing UK production facilities for sustainable aviation fuels is a priority for the Jet Zero Council. We would eagerly welcome Government support for rapid commercialisation of this innovative technology to help decarbonise aviation, level up the country with new high value-added green jobs, and fuel a green recovery.”