Solutions to the crisis include using alternatives to fossil fuels. Renewable energy presents a new opportunity for the world to move away from polluting fossil fuels. Norway are leading the way in using clean hydropower sourced from a plethora of lakes and fjords. In Norway, 98 percent of the electricity production come from renewable energy sources. Hydro-power is the source of most of the production. Other strategies include reducing the amount of carbon a country uses. The UK government is targeting net zero carbon emissions by 2050, but they acknowledge that it is difficult to decarbonise completely.
As part of the government’s ‘Green Industrial Revolution,’ the government released £160 million in funds to councils across England as part of the ‘Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund’. This is in order to install greener heating and retrofit insulation in homes. This is a good start, but the government needs to commit to retrofitting at scale which could allow councils across the country to further benefit and reduce energy costs.
Examples of large-scale retrofitting schemes include that of Lewes District Council. The Lewes Model takes inspiration from Preston City Council, the local authority leads a collaborative effort using local supply chains in order to retrofit council housing most in need of updating. Now that local businesses have the capacity to install better insulation, private homes can benefit from retrofitting at scale which in turn benefits the local economy with skills and jobs.
