As shared in a predictions article from Carbon Tracker in Spring 2023, ‘this autumn could define how the international community responds to climate change for the rest of the decade.’ With a great deal of emphasis on the coming months as turning points in the fight against climate change, the world appears to be waiting with baited breath for a new direction of sustainability to follow.
With a calendar of high profile events to observe throughout September, October and November, from the Climate Ambition Summit in New York to COP28 in Dubai, it’s safe to assume that a range of new objectives, findings and targets will emerge over the season. Take a look at how the calendar is looking in more detail below!
Increased Investments in Green Hydrogen - September
Firstly, in mid-September, the ‘Investing In Green Hydrogen’ conference is set to take place in London, drawing crowds of investors, developers, financiers and banks together to share different strategies of investing in green energy. With important decision makers collaborating on different net-zero goals, targets and projects, this event is likely to spark some big conversations around clean energy, green hydrogen and the best way to move forward with corporate sustainability.
United Nations SDG Summit 2023 - September
Designed to combine political guidance on the future of sustainability with scientific research and recently gathered data, the UN SDG Summit in New York will be an important and transformative summit for sustainable change.
Marking the halfway point to the deadline set for achieving the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, this Summit is likely to be seen as the turning point for many significant, ongoing sustainability drives across the globe. Designed to help respond to the recent global climate emergencies, evaluate the data collected from across the UN and create new strategies for sustainable change, the decisions made here are set to have a big impact in Autumn 2023.
A More Sustainable Harvest - October
On the 10th October, the Autumn Farming Conference will take place in Ipswich, with sustainability being the core focus of the event. Discussing topics and issues such as sustainability, water management and environmental schemes, the attendees will be invited to join panelists and speakers sharing insights on the future of sustainable agriculture.
With sessions dedicated to droughts and water loss, energy health, and transport, emerging sustainable schemes and alternatives will be just a few of the big takeaways for environmentally-conscious farmers across the UK.
Shift in household consumption rates - October
As of August 2023, the average household energy consumption rates have been fixed at a rate higher than many consumers are comfortable with. Following a steep rise over the past six months in consumption rates, paired with the limited access to gas and oil across Europe, energy bills have risen to an almost unmanageable cost.
However, from October onwards, Ofgem has assured the public that they will use ‘lower figures to reflect the fact that typical household consumption has fallen’, helping to drop the cost of many household bills and consumption costs. This drop is partially a result of energy saving efforts by consumers as they try to reduce their bills, and the vastly improved efficiency of widespread household devices.
UK Responds to the Green Strategies of the EU & US - November
In March 2023, a series of ‘green industrial strategies’ were presented by the US and the EU, designed to encourage increased investment in green technologies and decarbonisation attempts. At the time, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt declined the opportunity to respond with any corresponding UK strategies, promising instead to deliver them in autumn - ‘to evaluate the EU’s response before formulating a full national response.’
With the autumn statement already facing intense scrutiny and speculation, following on from predictions of tax increases and fiscal drag, a keen focus will also be on the proposed green strategies the UK will be presenting for the year ahead. Questions are already being raised as to whether the UK will be able to meet the points established by the US and EU, particularly regarding the funds being directed towards green investments - it’s likely to be a significant story to follow.