Unlocking the financial levers for a local just transition
Optional workshop 2 – 4pm
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In this session we will explore how we finance local just transitions to close the gap between aspiration and delivery.
Participants will work together with experts on a range of tactics and approaches, from community municipal investments and untapped local finance to national funding streams, to create a plan of action to address a live scenario, relating to financing locally-owned climate-related initiatives that deliver social value for communities.
PLEASE NOTE: places on this workshop are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Speakers
Dr Mark Davis is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Leeds. Alongside this, he is a member of the Advisory Group for the Friends Provident Foundation’s Fair Economy grant Programme and directing the Bauman Institute research centre. He specialises in evaluating the efficacy of sustainable consumption for addressing both financial and climate crises. Among other things his research, in collaboration with industry and local authorities, has enabled the development of Community Municipal Investments (a structure to fund a pipeline of projects delivering on local climate emergency strategies), and has contributed to the effective design of prosumer based models which ensure active participation of citizens in Europe’s green energy transition.
Kate Gilmartin is the Senior Project Officer for the Rural Community Energy Fund North West, and Community Energy Investment Lead at Lancashire County Council. With experience in the direct delivery of community energy projects, alongside providing funding advice and guidance to community groups seeking to establish their own community energy projects, Kate has over ten years of experience in the renewable energy sector and a well-utilised understanding of the funding landscape for place-based climate action.
Andrew Hunt is the Programme Manager for Community Wealth Building at Oldham Council. He has a key role in driving forward Oldham’s Green New Deal. With over eighteen years of experience in local government, he has a wealth of knowledge around how to use and flex financial mechanisms to support climate action, and is a partner in the Oldham Energy Futures project. He also had a central role in supporting the development of Oldham Community Power, a local community-owned energy project.
Antonia Jennings is an Associate Director at CLES. She is an experienced policy and strategy professional committed to building more sustainable, resilient and just economies. Prior to joining CLES, Antonia worked at the Economic Change Unit, where she was Programme Lead. She has also worked as Policy and Public Affairs Manager at the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, which furthers the voice of some 650,000 health professionals in their response to climate change. Prior to this, she worked at ecnmy.org and the Climate Group, and has expertise across economic democracy, sustainability and organisational development.
Ellie Radcliffe is a Senior Researcher at CLES. Prior to joining CLES, Ellie developed diverse experience across the third sector, with a career rooted in a passion for social justice. Ellie delivers research, membership, policy and consultancy work at CLES, and has particular interests in co-production, housing and community activism. She is an experienced facilitator and her work in housing and homelessness included applying learning from her research and involving people with lived experience in decision making processes.
