As we begin to unlock the lockdown, it is clear that the number one priority for government must be near term job creation and economic growth. Yet rather than viewing this as somehow separate from our climate ambitions, it is encouraging to note that businesses and politicians alike are now explicitly linking the two objectives. From the prime minister’s statement on World Environment Day to the words of secretary of state and COP president Alok Sharma at the Petersburg Climate Dialogue, both a ‘green recovery’ and securing a ‘more resilient economy’ have been at the forefront of the government’s statements on plans to reboot the economy.

Last week, I was pleased to join Alok Sharma on one of the government’s economic recovery roundtables, looking at some of the growth opportunities of accelerating to a net zero carbon economy. The property and construction industry hold the answers to some of the most cost-effective ways to reach net zero whilst boosting the economy. Here is what I told him:

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