Jobs, Resilience & Growth: What’s Shaping the Climate Conversation

Over the past year, the discourse around the transition has shifted to one of risk versus opportunity, with the themes of jobs, growth and resilience at the forefront climate conversations.  

As we turn our attention to Innovation Zero World 2026, these themes will be central to our discussions as we explore the challenges and scalable solutions required to deliver a cleaner, more resilient future economy.

Labour’s Jobs Pledge

Since taking office, the government has faced an uphill battle to define its vision for the country. One message that has managed to filter through is its commitment to clean energy and the climate agenda.  

In contrast to Reform’s anti–net zero stance, Labour has placed clean growth at the heart of its economic strategy, promising lower household bills, warmer homes, greater energy security, and new, high-quality jobs for people and communities across the UK.  

With Energy Secretary Ed Miliband announcing plans to create 400,000 new green jobs by 2030, the economic case for the transition is fast becoming the central battleground against climate scepticism.  

However, this ambition risks being undermined by a shortage of skilled workers, particularly across construction, electricity networks, and retrofit projects.  

Delivering the government’s vision will require clear policy direction and stronger coordination between project delivery and skills training, giving investors and industry leaders the confidence to back long-term workforce development. Without it, the promised surge in green employment risks falling short of expectations.

Secretary of State Rt Hon Ed Miliband speaking at Innovation Zero World 2024

Preparing for a 2°C World

Earlier month, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) advised that the UK prepare for a 2°C rise in global temperatures by 2050, acknowledging that the 1.5°C limit is now likely to be exceeded.  

Britain is already experiencing the effects of extreme weather, with London facing both severe flooding and temperatures reaching 40°C in recent years. A 2°C world would further amplify the impact of flooding, heatwaves, and droughts, with profound consequences for infrastructure, public health, and the economy. 

Action on resilience and adaptation remains far short of what is needed to ensure we’re prepared to face these future shocks, and was a central focus of our Main Stage panel focus of our panel earlier this year with Andy Burnham, Steve Rotheram, Mete Coban MBE, and Emma Howard Boyd CBE. They highlighted the cost of inaction and the urgent need to embed resilience into every aspect of infrastructure and urban planning, while noting that local authorities still lack the resources and devolved powers to deliver change at pace.  

The CCC’s recommendation now provides a timely opportunity to reset national priorities towards resilience. Preparing for a warmer, more unpredictable climate through investing in flood defences, nature restoration, resilient infrastructure, and emergency preparedness must now become as much a national priority as cutting emissions.  

The 21st Century Growth Opportunity

Each week brings new examples of political resistance to climate action, from the Trump administration’s cancellation of clean energy funding to setbacks such as International Maritime Organisation’s agreement for a global fuel standard and price on shipping emissions.   

Yet, momentum remains strong, with global investment in clean technologies reaching $2.1 trillion in 2024, accounting for two-thirds of overall energy investment.  

As Lord Stern, author of the landmark 2006 Stern Review, reiterated earlier this month, investment in climate solutions represents the defining growth opportunity of the 21st century. The transition to clean technologies not only offers a pathway to address the climate crisis but also a means to drive sustainable economic prosperity and improve lives globally, standing in stark contrast to the declining returns of continued fossil fuel investment. 

The greatest risk to the green economy is now political, placing a growing responsibility on investors and corporates to champion ambition and make the case for an accelerated shift towards a low-carbon, resilient future economy.