Green Jobs Action Day took place on Wednesday 24 March. I took part in a short film interview with Green New Deal UK, joining the sea of voices calling for a greener and sustainable future.
Green jobs are jobs that help us move to a post-carbon economy and a fairer society. We need a lot of them in Brighton and Hove to get to carbon net zero by 2030.
Installing wind turbines and solar panels, insulating homes, rewilding and building green infrastructure are all examples of green jobs – and there are growing opportunities in our city to take these on.
The Rampion offshore wind farm is seeking to expand, the council is installing solar panels on new and existing council homes, we are rolling out electric vehicle charging points and the bus company is looking to increase its number of low-emission vehicles.
If we are to reach carbon-neutral within the decade, we’re going to need to look at a range of things that will create new green jobs in the city. Such as building more green infrastructure and opportunities for active travel.
That will mean creating a car-free liveable city centre and a safe network of walking and cycling routes across the city.
We’re also going to need to look at retro-fitting homes so they are better insulated, run on renewable energies and have a lighter carbon footprint.
That will also tackle fuel poverty by bringing down energy bills.
I’m proud of the Labour administration that began this work to move our city towards carbon neutrality.
And in opposition, we continue to work constructively with all parties towards reaching that goal.
Every single person in the city has a role to play to in combating the climate crisis too. Don’t feel powerless.
Every step you take to reduce your carbon footprint makes a difference – and you can also lobby your councillors and MPs to take more swift and robust action.
The pandemic has meant a sharp rise in unemployment and the economy has taken a major hit.
By lobbying the government to urgently invest in green jobs, we can tackle unemployment, fuel poverty and the climate crisis at the same time, fostering an economic recovery that builds back better.
Councillor Nancy Platts is the leader of the Labour opposition on Brighton and Hove City Council.
We have lobbied our local Labour Party around the adverse effects of the Old Shoreham Road Cycle lane but they don’t listen and they don’t even reply. If Labour think they can say nothing and do nothing about the OSR cycle lane, (and provide as much opposition as a wet blanket), they will be four Labour councilors short at the next election as they are wiped out in North and South Portslade. But do you even care Nancy? Or is this Labour party of Brighton now just representing the cosmopolitan urban core and damned be the suburbs.