As COP26 continues, a new survey has highlighted the views of young energy professionals on the Net Zero target and whether they think current progress and polices are matching up to the Government’s climate change ambitions.
The survey has been published by the Young Energy Professionals (YEP) Forum, a network designed to bring together new and emerging talent within the energy industry encouraging them to collaborate, develop and share their voice with the wider industry. The forum now has over 2000 individual members representing over 350 different organisations.
The findings reveal that:
- Less than half of the survey respondents (47%) feel confident that the Government’s current strategy will achieve the 2050 target and would like policy makers to set out a more coherent and credible plan.
- 8 out 10 YEPs surveyed feel that the Government needs to put much more focus on how the transition is going to affect the most vulnerable customers with increasing financial support for decarbonisation to optimise its long-term effects and ensure all customers benefit.
- young professionals feel that one of the most important factors to consider – when deciding to stay in or apply for a role in the energy sector – is the opportunity to meaningfully engage with an organisation’s net zero strategy.
The survey, which took place in July, has looked to amplify the younger voices of the industry on the subjects being discussed at COP and as such, is organised along the COP26 themes: adaptation, mitigation, finance, and collaboration. 200 participants took part and as the generation who will be playing a central role in the sector in the run-up to 2050, today’s leaders can benefit from hearing the opinions and perspectives of tomorrow’s.
YEP Forum Chair and Senior Business Consultant for CGI, Caroline Gundu said:
“As young professionals in the sector, representing players in the energy value chain from generators, to suppliers, consumer groups and consultancies, we have worked collaboratively to produce this body of work.
“This report captures the views of Young Energy Professionals on the UK’s current delivery and progress toward the 2050 net zero target. We have provided interesting and some out-of-the-box recommendations for readers to explore. We are keen to engage with senior leaders in the sector on our findings and identify how young professionals can take a more active role and contribute as we pave the way to Net Zero.”
It’s been a busy few weeks for the YEP Forum who hosted a panel at last month’s Energy UK Annual Conference entitled Tomorrow’s Ideas, Today: Insight from the Young Energy Professionals Forum.
And last week, the YEP Forum held its annual awards, which celebrate the valuable contribution young colleagues bring to the energy sector. The black-tie event brought guests together from every corner of the industry for an evening of networking and socialising while also presenting exceptional young energy professionals with awards that reflect their hard work in the energy sector. Click here for more details on the ceremony and the winners.