June 27th 2019 was a significant day in the history as the UK became the first major economy in the world to pass a law to end its contribution to global warming by 2050. The target will require the UK to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. As the new legislation was signed, Energy and Clean Growth Minister Chris Skidmore said: “The UK kick-started the Industrial Revolution, which was responsible for economic growth across the globe but also for increasing emissions. Now we’re leading the world yet again in becoming the first major economy to pass new laws to reduce emissions to net zero by 2050 while remaining committed to growing the economy – putting clean growth at the heart of our modern Industrial Strategy. We’re pioneering the way for other countries to follow in our footsteps driving prosperity by seizing the economic opportunities of becoming a greener economy.” Now, this really is fantastic news for the environment, supporting the need to reduce climate change by taking the right steps to make the world a better place for our future generations. But, what does it all mean in real terms? Is it a realistic target? Can we actually make a difference as individuals, or is this something that can only be addressed by Governments and large corporations? Won’t it all cost a lot of money to implement? There are so many questions, but the only one that we genuinely know the answer to right now is that if we continue as we are, climate change will continue at pace and we, as a society will continue to contribute to the ultimate destruction of our planet. It all sounds very dramatic and depressing, so let’s explore the evidence and work out what we can all do to help the UK (and hopefully the rest of the World) meet this ambitious target. Let’s take a look at a few facts and figures: Renewables are on the rise – the use of renewable energy is continuing to grow, and will account for almost 30% of total power demand globally by 2023. Source: IEA Coal consumption is declining – from 157m tonnes in 1970 to just 11.8m tonnes in 2018, and the UK’s seven remaining coal power stations set to close by 2025. Source: BEIS/National Grid ESO Offshore wind capacity is increasing – the Government is expecting offshore windfarms to provide a third of our electricity by 2030, with the World’s biggest offshore windfarm, Hornsea One, due to be completed in 2020. Covering an area five times the size of Hull, the 174 turbines will power 1m homes. Source: BEIS Our homes are improving – accounting for around 18% of the UK’s emissions, the Government’s clean growth strategy aims to improve the energy efficiency of around 1m homes, with measures such as cavity wall insulation, smart meters and LED lightbulbs. Source: BEIS We’re using more efficient appliances – helping the average household reduce gas and electricity usage between 2008 and 2017, saving £290 per year. Items such as eco kettles that only boil the amount of water required for a cuppa use 20% less energy than conventional kettles – quite a saving when the average household boils the kettle 1,500 times a year. Source: Committee on Climate Change / Energy Saving Trust Electric cars are becoming more popular – more than 2m electric vehicles were sold in 2018. This figure is expected to rise to 10m in 2025, 28m in 2030 and 56m by 2040, when they will account for 57% of global car sales. Source: BloombergNEF So, we’re definitely heading in the right direction but there’s still a long way to go. According to the Committee on Climate Change, the Government needs to support this target with strong policies to confront the key challenges we face. For example, we must make firm plans for housing and domestic heating, ensure that electric vehicles become the only available options from 2035, develop carbon capture and storage technology and create a supply chain for low carbon electricity that is 4 times it’s current size. All of this requires investment, not only in financial terms, but also as a collective effort from consumers to adjust our lifestyles. So, what can we all do to help? As previously mentioned, net zero emissions by 2050 is an ambitious target and requires a concerted effort from everyone to make it a success. Engagement and support from the general public will be essential, and changes will need to be made but the benefits will be huge – with better physical and mental health, an improved environment and, crucially, a reduced exposure to climate risks. So, here’s a quick checklist of things that you can do differently: The way you travel Choose to walk and cycle or take public transport in preference to a car. Make your next car an electric one, and then charge it ‘smartly’. Minimise flying, especially long-haul, where possible. In your home Improve the energy efficiency of your home through draught proofing, improved insulation, LED lightbulbs and choosing appliances with high efficiency ratings. Set thermostats no higher than 19° and the water temperature in heating systems no higher than 55°C. Consider switching to a low-carbon heating system such as a heat pump, which is significantly more efficient than a traditional boiler. Look at installing Solar PV on your roof for generating electricity, which can also now be stored so that it is available day and night, providing nearly 75% self-generated electricity consumption. What you eat and buy Eat a healthy diet, for example with beef, lamb and dairy only from grass based systems. Eliminate food waste as far as possible and reduce, re-use and recycle other waste too. Choose good quality products that will last, use them for longer and try to repair before you replace. Many of these changes are straight forward and simple to implement now, but others need people to make changes within their homes and make investment choices to

New KPMG research has found that British consumers believe businesses are primarily responsible for improving environmental sustainability, ahead of themselves or even policymakers. Dassault Systèmes assists organisations around the world in improving their environmental credentials through sustainable innovation. Please see below its comment in response to the findings of KMPG’s research, identifying the pitfalls of unsustainable business models and the benefits that positive change can inspire. “According to new KPMG research, 47% of UK consumers believe corporations are primarily responsible for making the world more environmentally friendly – and not just in the products and services they offer, but in every aspect of their operations and supply chain choices. Environmental issues and increasing public scrutiny are already driving the escalating interest in alternative solutions that disrupt traditional business models. And whether businesses take an ethical, economic or even opportunist standpoint, there is no choice but for them to reduce their environmental footprint as a top priority. Not to be seen doing so would be political – and therefore business – suicide. “Ageing, unsustainable organisational and supply chain infrastructures are finding it increasingly difficult to cope. They are unable to keep pace with new, digital native competitors and are failing to deliver on historic results. There is therefore a significant business opportunity for corporations to invest in sustainability initiatives, to create long-term financial and environmental gains that would otherwise be unavailable to them with existing processes in place. Short-term planning only achieves short-term results, and businesses unwilling to instigate meaningful positive change in these areas will increasingly fall short of the competition. “Strategic partnerships are vital to achieving greater sustainability, helping to reduce unnecessary labour, money and materials across organisations and their supply chains. Ultimately, when we share knowledge and expertise, we provide the foundations for organisations to achieve more economically sustainable, more responsible and less wasteful processes across their entire operational ecosystems.” John Kitchingman, Managing Director, EuroNorth, Dassault Systèmes.

Despite the golden era of mining long being consigned to the past, it’s still affecting the property regeneration and land development market, and none more so than in Cornwall which has been home to over 2,000 mines. Often left to rot and decay, abandoned mines leave behind a legacy of unstable ground, contaminated land and in the worst case, sinkholes – which often put a firm stop on any proposed development or regeneration plans.  However, for the brave, historic mining doesn’t have to signal the end of a development project, and could instead be used as an opportunity to plan, design and construct intelligently, making the best use out of every inch of land. This was the issue facing the team behind the Hallenbeagle project in Redruth, an ambitious plan to create a new Bio Park – but with over 200 mine shafts, a history of sinkholes and arsenic contaminated land to contend with, the development wasn’t going to be easy.  A new future  Designed to support economic growth and regeneration in the area and located next to the main A30 route at Scorrier, Redruth in Cornwall, the Hallenbeagle regeneration project focused on investing over £8 million in transforming 12.5 hectares of land into 14,330sq ft of business, distribution and office space. The project was led by Hallenbeagle Estates Ltd, and also received match grant funding from the European Regional Development Fund.  However, with the site once being home to one of the county’s most important copper mines, it was obvious the project wasn’t going to be a quick fix. Lying in a heavily mined area where extensive extraction for copper and tin had taken place for hundreds of years and throughout the 19th Century, available maps and plans only recorded a fraction of the historic mine workings present – with an estimated 200 mine shafts in the area.  Mine workings commonly run long distances beneath the ground from mine shafts and extend beneath land that is due to be developed. Today, closed mines are capped and filled in to stabilise them and minimise risk, but old mineshafts were not always dealt with in this way. For the Hallenbeagle project, the effects of historic mining were already evident in the area with cases of sinkholes up to 300ft deep opening near homes and main road routes. Plugging the problem  Mining searches are vital in today’s property, construction and development market, and essential for determining whether there is any evidence of historic mining activity on an area of land. This is important even for locations where there are no obvious signs of mining, and while closed mines leave little evidence on the surface, they still have the potential to cause major problems – including putting a stop to construction plans.  With an area of 34 acres to cover, Hallenbeagle needed to ensure the land was safe before any regeneration development took place, employing the expertise of Mining Searches UK to oversee the investigation and secure the hundreds of mine workings. Uncovering more information about the network of mines was an initial priority, and the team first carried out extensive desk research referring to all available archived records of the land, from historic archives and maps, to land surveys.  Scratching the surface wasn’t enough and some of the larger identified mining features required further investigation, with the MSUK team carrying out a combination of drilling and site stripping. Geologists used this information to assess ground stability, as well as the risks posed to the development and neighbouring properties, digitising the information so developers could see the precise location, extent and features for each located mining feature.  Where a mining investigation has confirmed the presence of mining features, an architect can also design appropriately to minimise the cost impact for a development. For example, siting a proposed dwelling away from a mineshaft can have a positive impact on foundation design, or for larger developments like Hallenbeagle, it can also potentially help with construction phasing of a site – as well as ensuring drainage runs and soakaways will not be affected by historic mines.  Business benefits  Taking five years to complete, today Hallenbeagle is home to the Cornwall Bio Park, a thriving hub of business and office space, with 23 building plots, fully serviced roads and infrastructure created for a variety uses, including waste recycling.  As one of the county’s most complex, high profile developments for the area, Russell Dodge, Former Director of Hallenbeagle Estates said: “Understanding the finer workings of the land, as well as the potential impact of past mining activity was essential in delivering the project. By employing mining experts, we were able to understand the risks posed to development, helping us to plan effectively – ensuring not only the safety of workers, but also future occupants.”  Although mining searches may often be considered an inconvenience, they are vital in detecting problems before they become larger issues in the future. By addressing at the earliest possible stages of planning and construction, developers can not only save time and money, but can also ensure that projects are designed around the best use of the land and are safe for all occupants in the long term.