Joe Griffin

Scotland has everything it needs to win big from the energy transition--a proud industrial heritage, a highly skilled energy workforce, and some of the world’s best renewable resources. But right now, it's largely missing out. Scottish communities are watching renewable energy infrastructure being built but aren't consistently seeing its economic benefits. The North Sea is in irrevocable decline, yet Scotland’s oil and gas workers don't currently have a clear plan for their future in renewables. That’s largely down to a failure of government policy & action, both in Westminster and Holyrood, over many years. We know that energy will be a key concern for voters as at the Holyrood elections in 2026, and it's critical that any debate is focused on how to make energy work for Scotland, so that it benefits workers & communities. The narrow interests of oil & gas companies can’t be allowed to dominate. New drilling will not lower bills or protect workers in the long term, with the number of jobs supported by the industry more than halving in the past decade, despite hundreds of new licences being issued.   Nor is it an answer to energy security – the UK has burned most of its gas and most of the oil is exported. By 2050, the UK will be almost completely reliant on gas imports, even if new oil & gas fields are developed & new licences issued. So the risks and opportunities for the next Scottish Government are huge. With the right policies and commitment to act, we could see: thriving supply chains and thousands of good, secure jobs for workers in domestic wind manufacturing; oil and gas workers supported to move into these jobs; and renewable energy making communities across Scotland wealthier.  Here’s how we think politicians can Make Energy Work for Scotland--our policy proposals for the next Scottish Government: https://lnkd.in/eV-wJVty

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How can AI drive decarbonisation? AI can be a great multiplier of the global decarbonization efforts. From balancing renewables on the grid to predicting/optimising building energy use, optimising transport logistics, improving industrial efficiency, and supporting sustainable farming.... Solutions are many and AI has the ability to multiply emission reductions across nearly every sector. At the same time, we can’t ignore the footprint of AI itself. Globally, it already accounts for around 1.5% of electricity use. Training one large model can emit as much emisisons as 300 flights between New York and San Francisco. Check here the impact of Chatgbt: https://lnkd.in/dF8cJnQs Want to read more about AI environmental impacts? Check this: https://lnkd.in/dXn9SXNu So the question isn’t whether AI can support decarbonisation... because it can! The question is whether its own growth will align with climate goals. AI’s exponential rise makes this moment critical. We need to be honest about its trade-offs, while recognising that with the right policies and ethical design, AI can accelerate the transition to Net Zero. If used wisely.... Here is a nice read from the UK about AI use for decarbonization. 📢 Follow Majd Fayyad for more insights about sustainability and decabronisation #MajdTalks

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Yesterday, our CEO, Caroline Bragg, joined Ian Collins on TalkTV during the Conservative Party Conference to discuss recent comments around net zero, including Kemi Badenoch’s suggestion to repeal the Climate Change Act. Recent shocks such as the crisis in Ukraine saw energy bills rise by 74% and are a stark reminder of the volatility of our energy system. As Caroline highlighted the big question is protecting people from this volatility in the future and providing a stable environment for the long-term investment required during the transition to net zero. The Act has given businesses the stability to plan, invest and innovate in decarbonisation. 🏭 From energy security to global competitiveness, it is crucial that we maintain course for net zero without undermining progress.

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Friday long post… Who is in control of flexibility markets…? We’re all agreed that to meet Net Zero we are going to need a lot more flexibility on the electricity system. This flexibility must take place at all levels – internationally, nationally, at distribution level, and within our homes and businesses. Interconnectors and batteries will play a key role in this, but we’ll also need markets and digital solutions. Currently, the UK’s system works on a Merit Order, meaning that the cheapest forms of electricity get used first. But this system was designed for a different era - when most our electricity came from coal and power flowed outwards from the central transmission system to our homes and businesses. Today, electricity flows in both ways and users can be paid to flex their usage. There are several overlapping markets that each player can participate in, flexibility markets at national and local levels, capacity markets, and services such as frequency control. We need to be clearer on who controls what, we need some primacy principles. Transmission operators could lead on frequency services, distribution operators on local constraints, and a market or technology platform could mediate. How this fits with the balancing mechanism and capacity markets also needs to be worked through. This means we’ll also need metering that’s more advanced and closer to real time. All of this comes with the risk of gaming and market manipulation, so strong and near real time regulation with a clear rulebook will be essential. There’s a lot of work ahead to work through who takes primacy in our future markets. If you've made it this far, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Please connect with me, leave a reaction, or share your comments – they often spark more interesting discussions than my original post!

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NEW ANALYSIS: More than 80% of UK social housing still relies on gas boilers keeping bills exposed to international gas markets and climate targets out of reach. I’ve explored how other European countries are tackling this at scale, and what the UK can learn. Read my new blog for Sureserve👇 https://lnkd.in/ezujGiVm

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𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗞𝗣𝗜𝘀: 𝗔 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 Every now and then, you come across a document that balances rigour with relevance but this one nails it. 🫡 The Environmental Key Performance Indicators (EKPIs): Reporting Guidelines for UK Business, developed by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), remains a cornerstone for environmental reporting. Though developed for the UK, its value extends far beyond. It offers a pragmatic, structured approach for businesses to understand, measure, and report environmental performance in a way that’s both meaningful and manageable. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹: ✅ It identifies 22 environmental KPIs and guides companies to focus on the 5 most material ones for their sector. ✅It clearly differentiates direct and indirect impacts—and encourages firms to look beyond their operational boundaries (supply chains, product life cycles). ✅It links KPIs directly to business outcomes like cost savings, reputation, regulatory compliance, and investor confidence. ✅It outlines principles of good reporting: transparency, credibility, comparability—no greenwashing here. ✅And perhaps most importantly, it recognises that one-size-fits-all doesn't work. Instead, it offers sector-based relevance without being prescriptive. 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸? ▪️ Companies beginning their reporting journey and looking for a no-nonsense guide. ▪️ESG consultants and sustainability practitioners refining KPI strategies. ▪️SMEs needing a cost-effective framework that satisfies increasing due diligence from larger buyers. ▪️And yes, policymakers and regulators seeking to harmonize environmental disclosure without overwhelming the market. This is more than just a guide but it’s a free strategic toolkit. Worth bookmarking. Worth applying. Even if you're outside the UK. #planetaryhealth #planetaryboundaries #sustainability #ClimateAction #carbonfootprint #NetZero #ClimateEmergency #SDG #ESG #GHG #netzero #EnvironmentalKPIs #CorporateReporting #SustainabilityStrategy #SustainableBusiness #ReportingFramework #climateimpact

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Our analysis suggests one in four households in England and Wales could be in water poverty, with 6.3m homes spending more than 3% of their disposable income on water bills. The sector already works hard to support these customers, but pressures are growing, support can vary by region, and some households still miss out on the help they’re entitled to. Rachel Littlewood and the team at BFY Group have looked at the scale of the challenge, how affordability pressures are shifting, and how a more consistent, data-driven national approach could build on the work already being done. 👉 Read the full report here: https://bit.ly/45x0Vio #Water #WaterPoverty #Affordability #SocialTariffs #Utilities

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New Report: What leading carbon credit buyers do differently At Abatable, we’ve supported corporate climate leaders such as EY and more than 200 others in contracting 55 million tonnes of high-quality carbon credits across geographies and project types. Along the way, we’ve sourced over one billion tonnes of CO₂ and seen firsthand what separates the most effective buyers from the rest. We’ve distilled those insights into nine lessons, supported by case studies from leading companies, that can help organisations: - Build robust carbon procurement strategies aligned with climate goals - Reduce costs and risks in procurement - Ensure purchased credits meet integrity standards - Communicate climate impact with confidence The voluntary carbon market is complex. With tens of thousands of projects worldwide, carbon credits are not interchangeable. The way you source, evaluate, and purchase them directly shapes your costs, risks, and climate impact. Download the full report via the link in comments. #carbon #climate #sustainability #leadership

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