As part of our programme of engagement with British politics and policymaking, we take LSE academics to the Labour and Conservative party conferences to create opportunities for them to network and share their research and expertise. This year, we were focused on how the Government can simultaneously deliver stronger growth and meet its net-zero ambitions.
At Labour conference, we co-hosted a panel with LabourList on how the new government can super charge green growth. Policy Fellow Esin Serin of LSE’s Grantham Institute presented her exciting research on UK energy policy and how investments in the sustainable economy can boost growth and productivity in the UK. She spoke alongside fellow panellists Dan Norris MP (also the Mayor of the West of England and a former environment minister), new MP and member of the Transport Committee Alex Mayer, a Director of the Peel Ports Group (which is investing heavily in green tech), and chair Prof Tony Travers.
Labour Conference_1920x1080 (1)
At Conservative conference our panel, co-hosted by the Conservative Environment Network, focused on Policy Analyst Leo Mercer, also from Grantham, and his work on how rewilding and changing the way we use land can help the UK reach its environmental goals. The panel was full of expertise, including the President of the National Farmers' Union, the Director of Rewilding Britain, former cabinet minister Sir Robert Buckland KBE KC, Aphra Brandreth MP and chair (and LSE alumna) Kitty Thompson.
Conservative Conference_1920x1080 (1)
Both panel events were standing room only, showing the appetite from party members, policy professionals and members of the public for evidence and insight that can inform, shape and support the decisions politicians make.
If you click here you can find a brochure showcasing LSE research related to our theme of green growth. Below, you will find an interview with Lewis McIntyre, one of our panellists at Labour conference and the Managing Director of Port Services at Peel Ports group, which owns the Port of Liverpool. We spoke with him about the port's plans to install the UK's largest roof-mounted solar panel system and what opportunities the transition to net zero offer these crucial parts of our national infrastructure.
Peel Ports_1920x1080 (1)