COP26: Snapshots from Friday's youth march
COP26 day 6 saw thousands of young people marching through the streets of Glasgow - with Becky, Matt, and Matt's family all among them.
Nov 05, 2021•10 min
Local Zero
Climate action on your doorstep. Dr Jen Roberts, Prof Matt Hannon and Dr Fraser Stewart are your trusted guides to smart local energy and a zero carbon future. Find us at www.localzeropod.com
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Episodes
COP26 Energy Day: How bad are bananas?
Becky hits the Green Zone and plays 'How Bad Are Bananas?' Matt is talking heat innovation and geoenergy at a showcase run jointly by the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise. Contributors: Prof Malcolm McCulloch, Oxford University Energy and Power Group Dr Mauricio Zaglio, Hank Torbet, Victor Aguilera and Andrew Bissell from East Lothian based East Lothian heat battery innovator Sunamp Nicole Figueiredo de Oliviera from Brazilian climate change campaign group Arayara David Townsend of To...
Nov 05, 2021•27 min
COP26 Finance Day: First impressions and PlanetPod's Amanda Carpenter
Matt's first foray into COP26 was into the Green Zone on Finance Day. This mini-episode gives a flavour of talks he attended, and the atmosphere around Glasgow. There's also a chat with Amanda Carpenter from the excellent www.theplanetpod.com
Nov 04, 2021•11 min
COP26: what we're doing when
COP26 is here! We look ahead to a whirlwind two weeks, get excited, and sketch out plans. Sign up now if you want to be at Local Zero Live on Saturday 6th Nov, and make sure you subscribe to the podcast feed, as we switch to 'breaking-news' style ad-hoc content drops across the fortnight whenever we have them available. Follow us on twitter: @LocalZeroPod.
Oct 31, 2021•10 min
Leo Hickman: COP26 hopes and fears
Leo Hickman of the Carbon Brief looks ahead to COP26. We also invite back a selection of guests from across Local Zero's first year, to hear their hopes and fears ahead of this historic climate summit getting underway in Glasgow.
Oct 20, 2021•52 min
Energy Crisis and Beyond
Concern over energy prices has dominated headlines in recent weeks - but what does the energy 'crisis' mean for consumers, communities and the road to net zero? The team are joined by Clem Cowton from Octopus Energy, Dhara Vyas from Citizens Advice, and Dr Jeff Hardy, of Imperial College London.
Oct 06, 2021•1 hr 2 min
Jobs, skills and training for zero-carbon homes
What jobs, skills and training are needed to deliver smart zero-carbon home heating? How big is the skills-gap? (Spoiler: It's quite big). Matt and Becky are joined by Cardiff University's Dr Jo Patterson, and Adam Chapman, director of Heat Geek, while Fraser's been chatting about retrofitting and the just transition with Carbon Co-op co-founder Jonathan Atkinson. Tweet us @LocalZeroPod, or email localzeropod@gmail.com - we always love to hear from you....
Sep 22, 2021•1 hr 4 min
Back to the Future: industrial history and community in the just transition
Dr Ewan Gibbs joins us to discuss what the history of UK industry and energy can teach us about a just transition. Can communities built around industries of the past drive forward, as well as benefit from, a greener future? Tweet us @LocalZeroPod or email localzeropod@gmail.com
Sep 08, 2021•45 min
Dr Alice Bell director of climate charity Possible
Dr Alice Bell discusses the work of the climate change charity Possible to get communities engaged with climate action. Her recent book is called Our Biggest Experiment: A History of Climate Change. Tweet us @LocalZeroPod or email localzeropod@gmail.com
Aug 25, 2021•49 min
Bonus ep: IPCC report 'code red for humanity' - Local Zero responds
A landmark UN scientific report has detailed how human activity is changing the climate in unprecedented and irreversible ways. It warns of increasingly extreme heatwaves, droughts and flooding, and is widely reported to be "a code red for humanity". In this bonus episode, the Local Zero team, Becky, Matt and Fraser, share their thoughts, feelings, hopes and fears in response to the report.
Aug 12, 2021•15 min
Rob Saunders from Prospering From the Energy Revolution (PFER)
The team fact-check the science around recent government proposals for climate change “micro-steps”. Our guest is Rob Saunders, Challenge Director for the UK’s flagship Prospering from the Energy Revolution (PFER). Tweet us @LocalZeroPod or email localzeropod@gmail.com
Aug 12, 2021•52 min
Local heroes: spotlighting Glasgow's local climate activists
We meet people taking action in their communities to tackle climate change. We hear about their important work fighting locally against the climate emergency, and the wider impacts this work is having. Fraser records at the home of the Pollokshields Community Trust, with Bill Fraser, and South Seeds manager Lucy Gillie. Also in this episode, our first interactive Future or Fiction - listen to find out how to play along!
Jul 28, 2021•51 min
Gridlocked: energy networks, DSOs and net zero
How is the energy network changing, and what does it mean for net zero? How can we manage our networks to accommodate smart, local innovations in energy generation, and what opportunities does this present for the future? Guests this week: Professor Keith Bell, ScottishPower Chair in Smart Grids at the University of Strathclyde and Dr Jeff Hardy, Senior Research Fellow in the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London.
Jul 14, 2021•52 min
Permission to land 2: land use and net zero
From land *ownership* in our last episode to land *use* this time. How can land be used to mitigate climate change? What are some innovative uses of land, and what major barriers still remain? Guests this week: Guy Shrubsole, environmental and rewilding campaigner and author of 'Who Owns England?', and Dr Alona Armstrong, Senior Lecturer in Energy and Environmental Sciences at Lancaster University. Meanwhile, Alan McDonnell from Trees for Life shares how how land can be used creatively to better...
Jun 30, 2021•51 min
Permission to land 1: ownership and net zero
What is the current state of UK land ownership, and how can this be overhauled to better meet the needs of both climate and communities? The team are joined by Malcolm Combe, senior law lecturer at the University of Strathclyde , Kate Swade from Shared Assets CIC, and Magnus Davidson from Community Land Scotland.
Jun 16, 2021•1 hr 9 min
Get smart: data in local net zero
What role does “smart” have to play in a local, net zero transition? How crucial is data? What are the key issues to address? The team are joined by Stephen McArthur, Professor of Intelligent Energy Systems at Strathclyde, and Gavin Starks, founder of Icebreaker One, a company working to unlock the value of data to deliver net-zero.
Jun 02, 2021•57 min
Greg Barker, coalition government climate change minister
Gregory Barker, now Lord Barker of Battle, was energy and climate change minister in the coalition government. He was pivotal to UK policies like the Green Deal, feed-in-tariff, & the Green Investment Bank. He reflects on his time in the role, and shares tips and advice for his successors.
May 19, 2021•52 min
A green COVID recovery?
What could a green post-COVID economic recovery look like, and how can we make sure it has carbon reduction and a just transition at its core? Guests this time are Miriam Brett, research director at the Common Wealth think-tank, and Mairi Spowage, Interim Director of Strathclyde University’s Fraser of Allander economic institute.
May 05, 2021•54 min
Community energy: power to the people
From turbines in the remote Western Isles to solar PV in Brixton, community energy projects represent a challenge to our mostly centralised energy system. They can also bring enormous local social and economic benefits. But the sector is at a crossroads due to policy changes - so what is the future of community energy? Joining the team are Emma Bridge from Community Energy England, and Professor Patrick Devine-Wright, an expert in community energy and public participation from the University of ...
Apr 21, 2021•57 min
Low Traffic Neighbourhoods
Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) almost always encounter anger and resistance - but are shown to cut driving and increase walking and cycling where they are introduced. Leo Murray from the climate change charity Possible and Jon Burke, who introduced LTNs during his time as a Hackney council cabinet member, join the team. We'll also meet Brenda Puech, who turned an on-road parking space into a mini park or 'parklet'.
Apr 07, 2021•53 min
Movin’ on up: Transport for a net zero future
Transport makes up nearly 40% of the average UK household's carbon footprint (with wide variation between different sections of society). While other sectors have made progress on cutting carbon, the dial has barely moved on transport emissions. So is the elephant in the room actually an SUV? Joining the team this time are Professor Iain Docherty, transport policy expert at the University of Stirling, Dr Debbie Hopkins, Associate Professor in sustainable urban development at the University of Ox...
Mar 24, 2021•57 min
Zero-carbon homes: building a supply chain and workforce
Delivering UK net zero requires a massive switch to carbonless heat and power in all our buildings - but the tools and systems to make that switch don't currently exist. The team look at the scale of that challenge, and ask what can be done, particularly in jobs, skills and supply chains. They are joined by Jo Patterson from Cardiff University's Welsh School of Architecture, and Nigel Banks from zero-carbon housing developer Ilke Homes. Fraser chats with Nathan Gambling, a leading trainer of hea...
Mar 10, 2021•50 min
Too Hot to Handle? Decarbonising heat in homes and industry
Heat is a key challenge in achieving carbon net-zero. What is being done to decarbonise heat systems, and how can this work be accelerated? Heat policy experts Richard Lowes and Jen Roberts address barriers and challenges to a just transition of heat. We also hear from some of very few householders to have already installed heat-pumps.
Feb 24, 2021•1 hr
Show me the money: funding the net zero transition
Who pays for local energy systems in the net-zero transition, and why? What are the financial barriers that local and community energy models need to overcome? Barbara Hammond MBE shares lessons she's learned over ten years of running Oxford's Low Carbon Hub, and renewable finance guru Bruce Davis of Abundance Investment details different types of green energy finance.
Feb 10, 2021•54 min
Power To The People: Net Zero and Citizen Engagement
How do those leading the charge on carbon reduction bring everyone else in society along for the ride? Our guest is Professor Rebecca Willis, who leads on citizen engagement in climate change at Lancaster University. Her book on this subject is called 'Too Hot To Handle: The Democratic Challenge of Climate Change'.
Jan 27, 2021•42 min
Chris Stark of the UK Climate Change Committee
Chris Stark, chief executive of the UK's Climate Change Committee, shares his hopes, ambitions and fears over climate change goals, and his aspirations for Glasgow as it prepares to host COP26 later this year. The team refer to a document in the episode entitled 'Local Authorities and the Sixth Carbon Budget'. You can download it at this link: https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/local-authorities-and-the-sixth-carbon-budget/...
Jan 13, 2021•53 min
Fuel poverty and net zero: Leave no-one behind
Fuel poverty is a pervasive and persistent issue for some of society's most vulnerable groups. How can the push for net zero help to end fuel poverty, and how can local solutions help? We meet fuel poor households in Glasgow, and visit Orkney - which has some of the UK's worst fuel poverty - but also some of the most innovative solutions. We hear from: Prof Aimee Ambrose, Energy Policy professor at Sheffield Hallam University and chair of the UK's Fuel Poverty Research Network Luke Fraser from T...
Dec 17, 2020•43 min
Glasgow's challenge: a net zero city by 2030
What is required to bring one of Britain's biggest cities down to net zero? In this episode, we focus on Glasgow as a case study for ambitious, city-level climate action, and set out the vital roles to be played by local authorities, communities and other key actors. Contributors: Anna Richardson - Glasgow City Council Convener for Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Lucy Gillie - general manager of Govanhill-based community environmental organisation South Seeds Roddy Yarr - leads on developing...
Dec 02, 2020•40 min
COVID's Lessons for the Road to Net Zero
With guests Polly Billington and Jim Watson, the team assess the impact of Coronavirus on net zero transition. How can local energy help bring about a prosperous and fair pandemic recovery? Polly is a member of Hackney Council in East London and director of UK100, a network of more than 100 UK councils that is committed to tackling the climate emergency. Jim is Professor of Energy Policy at the UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources.
Nov 18, 2020•38 min
Countdown to COP26 in Glasgow
COP26 in Glasgow is one year away - so where are we on the path to a zero carbon future? In this first episode, the Local Zero team tackle the big questions on climate change, and start to explore how local ‘place-based’ solutions may hold the key. Local Zero is a podcast from Glasgow-based climate change researchers Dr Rebecca Ford, Dr Matt Hannon and Fraser Stewart, brought to you by EnergyREV. Subscribe now to get every episode straight to your podcast feed. Episode 1 contributors: Renee Van ...
Nov 04, 2020•47 min
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