Response to the Net Zero Review Call for Evidence

The Government appointed The Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP to lead an independent review of the government’s approach to delivering its net zero target, to ensure that it is pro-business and pro-growth. The review’s Terms of Reference are available here.  

Enginuity responded to the review’s Call for Evidence on 26 October 2022, noting: 

• The centrality of workforce planning and development in realising the opportunities presented by Net Zero,  
• The challenges that need to be overcome to ensure that the engineering and manufacturing workforce has the right skills,  
• The measures being undertaken by Enginuity to meet these challenges using our data science tools, research, and expertise, and 
• Amendments to government skills and education policies which would help facilitate the transition to Net Zero.  

Response to the Net Zero Review Call for Evidence PDF

Skidmore concluded his review with a report entitled ‘Mission Zero’. The report’s 129 recommendations largely focus on the investment, planning and regulatory environment for green technologies and businesses, and cross-governmental coordination, but also reinforce the importance of the Green Job Taskforce’s recommendations. The key skills specific recommendations were: 

• Building the skills needed for the transition by driving forward delivery of the Green Jobs Delivery Taskforce (GJDG) recommendations and the commitments from the Net Zero Strategy, and 
• Helping SMEs upskill by launching a ‘Help to Grow Green’ campaign, offering information resources and vouchers for SMEs to plan and invest in the transition.  

The Government provided its response to the recommendations in late March. The main recommendation on skills accepted by the Government was to drive forward the recommendations of the GJDG, with the outputs of the GJDG workplan brought together into an overall Net Zero and Nature Workforce Action Plan in 2024, outlining the actions and solutions the group is progressing to deliver the skills needed to deliver net zero.