The pandemic lockdown led to an unprecedented decline in emissions as many people stayed at home. Now that the capital is busy and thriving again, there is an opportunity for London to drive a sustainable, positive and inclusive change by becoming a centre for excellence on climate change matters. 

We want London to successfully transition to become a more sustainable and ultimately net-zero city, leading and driving best practice across the UK working with other cities. In doing so, our work is focused on supporting businesses to commit to ambitious sustainability targets, safeguarding the capital against the adverse impacts of climate change and ensuring that London is a world-leader for green growth and jobs. 

BusinessLDN is seizing the opportunity to build a more resilient, sustainable and low-carbon future by focusing on three key areas: 

  • Providing advocacy around ambitious net-zero science-based standards and identifying the right approach for businesses to meet their climate targets while supporting the capital’s 2030 net-zero ambition; 

  • Focusing on the necessary changes that are required in the current policy landscape and the most suitable funding mechanisms that will enable a wide and successful uptake of residential retrofits in London; 

  • Investigating the mechanics of a London-wide Carbon Offset Business fund and the associated benefits and challenges of such an endeavour both for London but also the UK. 

Our Business Manifesto for Delivering Net Zero Carbon in London in London with WSP set out the key actions needed from the Mayor and the capital’s businesses to transform its economy to be carbon neutral by 2030 and make London cleaner and greener. Our Green, Growing and Global, A decarbonising capital for a competitive UK report, with and our sustainability knowledge partner McKinsey and Company, went even deeper by identifying seven provocative ideas for how businesses can leverage London’s green growth opportunities and play a leading role in decarbonising the capital to meet its net zero goals. 

BusinessLDN has a role in raising the ambition, driving collaboration between cross-sector business, facilitating knowledge sharing and supporting business in the transition to a truly net zero carbon and sustainable future. 

Businesses in the capital are already playing a significant role in responding to the climate challenge, by developing individual action plans, but our collective ambitions should be far higher. The race to net zero should not be just viewed through an environmental lens, but an economic one too. Seizing the green growth opportunity in London will contribute to the capital’s decarbonisation and create jobs, while helping retain London’s status as a global business hub.

The time for action and implementation is now.”

Ioanna Mytilinaiou, Programme Director for Sustainability at BusinessLDN