What is a just transition for environmental targets?
This POSTnote considers transitions to meet environmental targets and how their costs and benefits for different members of society can be distributed fairly.

This POSTnote considers transitions to meet environmental targets and how their costs and benefits for different members of society can be distributed fairly.
Applications closed 13 September 2023.
This POSTnote considers the relatively new process of local area energy planning that aims to deliver net zero targets more effectively at the regional level.
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This POSTnote considers advances in heat pump technology, their suitability for UK properties, barriers to deployment and government policy support mechanisms.
Future research
This POSTnote will consider developments in demand-side response, evidence of its potential contribution to decarbonisation of the power system, and the policy or market mechanisms needed to fully realise the opportunities DSR presents.
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This POSTnote analyses the present wholesale electricity market and proposals for reform of electricity market arrangements to support decarbonisation of the system by 2035.
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Technology and data enabled opportunities are key priorities in the Department for Transport’s Future of Freight Plan. This POSTnote reviews digital technologies that support freight, including their impact on the labour force, potential environmental benefits and technical barriers.
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Biomass can be used to produce bioenergy in the form of electricity, heat, biogas or transport fuels, or to produce materials and chemicals. The Climate Change Committee recommend dedicated energy crops and forest residues as future sources of domestic biomass. This POSTnote summarises the opportunities and challenges surrounding the expansion of UK biomass production.
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The UK’s energy system relies on the storage of fossil fuels to manage variations in supply and demand over varying timescales. As these are replaced to meet the net zero emissions target, new types of low-carbon, longer duration energy storage will be needed to provide secure energy supplies. This POSTnote examines different low-carbon storage technologies, their role in addressing future system needs, issues relating to scaling-up the technologies and Government strategy.
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Nuclear electricity is a predictable and low-carbon part of the UK energy mix, currently providing 15% of the UK’s electricity. However, most existing nuclear power stations are set to close by 2030. The Government has an ambition to increase production of nuclear energy. One new nuclear power station is under construction (Hinkley Point C) and another (Sizewell C) has received planning consent. This POSTnote reviews the evidence surrounding the construction of new nuclear power stations and the ways in which nuclear might contribute to emission reduction targets.
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A POSTnote that describes the impact of poor diet on health, the underlying causes and policy approaches to address them.
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States are increasingly engaging in cyber operations to support their strategic aims. This POSTnote considers hostile state-backed cyber activities against the UK. It looks at how and why states use cyber operations against other nations and the threats these pose to the UK. It also considers mitigation measures, both internationally and in the UK.
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Climate change is creating complex risks for societies, with globalisation increasing dependencies and interconnectedness between nations. This POSTnote sets out the potential security implications of climate change, arising from both its impacts on human systems and the ‘transition risks’ from climate change mitigation measures. It also describes the tools and approaches that could be used to manage the risks and opportunities arising.
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Information and Communication Technology (ICT), including data centres, communication networks and user devices, accounted for an estimated 4-6% of global electricity use in 2020. Increasing demand for ICT is expected to lead to an increase in global ICT energy use over the next decade. Experts have highlighted ongoing improvements in the energy efficiency of the technology. However, there is limited evidence on the energy use of ICT, and a significant degree of uncertainty in existing estimates. This POSTnote summarises estimates of the energy used across the ICT sector and trends that may affect it. It discusses developments in energy efficiency and issues related to energy reporting and standards.
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Energy security concerns have risen over the last year. This has been brought about by high international gas and electricity prices, and the possibility of gas shortages during winter 2022, driven largely as a consequence of Russia’s war in Ukraine. This POSTnote examines the risks to the UK’s energy security, current practices for ensuring energy security, and measures that might be taken to enhance energy security as the UK transitions towards a net zero economy.
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