GHD young professionals survey – 84% believe we must do more to prioritise low-carbon energy solutions

In a recent survey carried out among its employees aged 35 and under, or with less than 10 years’ professional experience, professional services company GHD found that 84% do not believe governments and businesses are doing enough to prioritise low-carbon energy solutions.

 The survey was conducted in the lead-up to COP26 to gather the views of young professionals helping to engineer, design and shape tomorrow’s decarbonisation and climate change adaptation solutions. GHD polled employees across Europe, North America, South America and Asia-Pacific who work in a wide range of business areas, including Building Engineering, Civil Engineering, Environment, Future Energy, Natural Resources, Transport, Urban Planning & Land Development, and Water.

 Further highlights from the survey include:

·       69% said collaboration between governments and businesses is ineffective.

·       65%rated the speed of community adaptation to climate change as slow. 

·       69% of respondents rated the speed of the current clean energy transition as slow.

·       47% said green renewable energy should be the highest priority, ahead of future clean fuels such as hydrogen and carbon capture and storage (CCUS).

·       80% expect the current energy shortages to have at least some impact on longer term energy transition goals.

When asked what new technology, innovation or solution has inspired respondents for a sustainable future, the key themes to emerge were renewable energy (particularly solar), energy storage and hydrogen.

Tej Gidda, Global Leader – Future Energy at GHD, said: “It’s absolutely crucial that we make the next decade count to rapidly decarbonise our energy systems, and the findings of this survey suggest that more still needs to be done. GHD’s young professionals and future leaders strongly believe that collaboration is the one key ingredient needed to fulfil our global targets, and we hope to see this achieved at COP26. Without dramatic action, we face a major tipping point with potentially devastating effects.

 Renewable and storage technologies to achieve this clean energy scenario exist – but enabling international policy and frameworks must be put in place to accelerate economically viable business cases for industry and the private sector to better participate in the green economy. Both businesses and governments need to attract investment and engage communities in their early and active transition agenda, painting a picture of what a renewable future looks like and how to get there.”

GHD has published a series of insight papers, Making the Next 10 Years Count @ COP26, that give voice to engineers, scientists, architects and advisors working around the world – and in the field – to make energy systems more sustainable, and communities more resilient to the inevitable impacts of climate change:

1.     A Supercharged Transition: Making the next 10 years count to rapidly decarbonise our energy systems

2.     Shock-resistant Communities: Making the next 10 years count to underpin resilient, adaptable communities

3.     Radical Collaboration: Making the next 10 years count to accelerate the low-carbon economy