A Green New Deal

Why are we doing this?

London is facing the dangers of toxic air pollution and the climate and ecological emergencies. The pandemic has also highlighted how the environment can have a disproportionate impact on Londoners. Those living in deprived areas are most likely to experience poor air quality, cold and damp homes, and limited access to green space.

As a city of nine million people, London has a huge responsibility to minimise its impact on the global climate emergency. This means acting quickly to cut greenhouse gas emissions from transport and buildings.

Green economy

London’s £48 billion green economy currently supports 5% of jobs in the capital – it is worth more than the construction and manufacturing sectors combined. Examples include jobs in renewable energy such as:

• solar panel installation
• low-carbon transport technology
• green finance
• other goods and services that provide environmental solutions.

The Green New Deal mission aims to double the size of the green economy in London to £100 billion by 2030. Putting the environment at the centre of London’s recovery is a chance to help reverse the looming economic downturn. It will bring new investment to London, help businesses to see long-term growth, and provide decent, skilled, local jobs.

Air quality

Air pollution in London kills thousands of people each year, with the main source coming from road transport. Worryingly, some of the worst pollution hotspots are around schools. Research shows that London’s most disadvantaged communities are among the hardest hit – meaning that poverty and pollution limit the life chances of too many young and vulnerable Londoners.

Emissions from buildings

In London, the energy used to heat and power our buildings produces 74% of the city’s emissions. To get to net zero by 2030, we must make London’s homes and workplaces far more energy-efficient. We also need to decarbonise London’s heating systems by switching to renewable power. This will help London’s recovery by creating jobs and skills. Improving cold, leaky homes to make them more energy-efficient will also help tackle fuel poverty. Our city has some of the highest rates of fuel poverty in the country with an estimated 15% of households unable to afford the cost of heating or powering their home adequately. It creates health problems ranging from poor mental health to childhood asthma and excess winter deaths, and may be worsened by an economic downturn and the potential of mass unemployment.

Access to green spaces

While London is a green city, not all Londoners have easy access to green spaces. One in five households in London had no access to a private or shared garden during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Londoners were nearly four times less likely to have access to outdoor space. The capital’s most disadvantaged communities are also more likely to live in neighbourhoods that lack good access to open space.

We need to ensure green spaces are at the heart of building back better from this crisis – tackling both social inequalities and climate and ecological emergencies by storing carbon, improving air quality, reducing flood risk and enhancing biodiversity. 

To recover from the economic, social and health impact caused by the pandemic, the London Recovery Board has set out a missions-based approach. This will bring together the public, private and voluntary sectors, and involves working with all Londoners to make it a success.

We propose to achieve this mission through large-scale transformation by 2030. This requires new approaches, greater coordination, faster action, citizen buy-in, the devolution of powers and funding from national government, and substantial flows of private sector capital.

Three key themes underpin our projects:

1. decarbonise and transform the built environment
2. green London’s transport and public spaces
3. mobilise new finance and support green jobs, skills and lifestyles. 

Short-term actions:

Focus: Immediate acceleration of job creation in the green economy and reduce vulnerabilities and inequalities highlighted by COVID-19.

Examples of funded projects:

• Harlington Road Depot Energy Efficiency Works (London Borough of Hillingdon) – installation of solar panels on all suitable roofs in the existing buildings. 
• Grow Back Greener Fund (GLA) – supporting community groups affected by the crisis to retain jobs and develop skills while delivering new greening and resilience projects in areas of need.  
• London Community Energy Fund (GLA) – community energy projects, tackling fuel poverty, and apprenticeships for young and unemployed people.
• North London Heat Networks (GLA) – delivering 25MW of additional low-carbon heat in North London to provide heat to 8,000 homes to areas of high deprivation.
• Greenwich Park to Shooters Hill Cycleway (Royal Borough of Greenwich) – installing a 3.5km Cycleway through the centre of the borough  
• Pop-up cafes in parks (London Borough of Hounslow) – supporting local businesses providing services in local parks and open spaces.

City Hall’s Environment and Energy Unit and London Councils are leading the Green New Deal mission.

A Green New Deal Advisory Group has been established to:

• provide strategic advice on the implementation of the Green New Deal
• ensure environmental sustainability is embedded across London’s recovery work.

The group is co-chaired by Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Shirley Rodrigues, and Mayor of Hackney, Philip Glanville (Chair of London Councils Transport and Environment Committee). It includes experts from the community, businesses and non-profit organisations.