The London Conference: Decarbonising London – The Final Five Years

Last week I attended The London Conference – the flagship annual event hosted by Centre for London – which brought together figures from business, the third sector and local government to discuss one of the capital’s most urgent challenges: how London can achieve its aim of reaching net zero by 2030. The theme – Decarbonising London: The Final Five Years – signalled the shift from long-term ambition to immediate implementation. The target itself was revised in 2022, when Mayor Sadiq Khan brought forward London’s net zero goal from 2050 to 2030.

The urgency is now

The central message of the day was clear: climate change is no longer a distant prospect – we are living through it now (it’s currently 16 degrees in November!) – and it demands bold, actionable policy in the present. Speakers emphasised that extreme weather, air pollution, and environmental degradation are already affecting Londoners, particularly the most vulnerable. The challenge is immediate, but so too is the opportunity.

While there is still a long way to go, there are reasons for optimism. London now boasts the largest zero-emission bus fleet in Western Europe and has, for the first time, met the legal limits for nitrogen dioxide – a milestone reached 193 years earlier than once predicted. The capital’s rivers are also becoming cleaner, with the Mayor of London’s Clean and Healthy Waterways Plan aiming to make them swimmable by 2034. The expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to cover the whole capital has been credited with a significant reduction in air pollution. These successes were not presented as endpoints, but as proof that sustained and ambitious environmental policy can deliver results.

Retrofitting homes

A strong theme throughout the event was the scale of the retrofit challenge facing London’s housing. The capital’s homes – many of them ageing and energy-inefficient – must now adapt to a changing climate: hotter summers, wetter winters, rising energy bills and persistent issues like damp and mould. A recent study found that 80% of UK homes overheated in summer 2022 – up sharply from just 18% in 2011 – highlighting how many buildings are poorly suited to handle extreme temperatures. Debate focused on upcoming legislation which, in a phased approach from 2028, will require all rental properties to meet at least EPC C standards – and on the question of who pays for retrofit, and who benefits. The introduction of Awaab’s Law on 27 October, which enforces strict timeframes for social landlords to address hazards, has further sharpened awareness of the health impacts of poor housing conditions. Yet despite a growing consensus on the need for action, the cost and complexity of retrofitting were consistently identified as major bottlenecks.

Key contributions

Keynote speeches from Energy Minister Michael Shanks MP and London Deputy Mayor for Business Howard Dawber focused on how London can lead the transition to net zero – and the role of people and business in making it happen. Shanks emphasised that people must be at the heart of the green transition, highlighting the importance of delivering warm homes, expanding green job opportunities, and ensuring energy security across the UK. Dawber underlined that the green transition is now central to conversations with the business community. He described the green economy as a key growth sector for the capital – one that London is well placed to lead in, provided the right policy support and investment are in place.

Meanwhile, Cllr Claire Holland (Chair of London Councils and Leader of Lambeth Council) launched the London Net Zero Neighbourhood programme – an £829m, five-year proposal to retrofit 20,000 homes across the capital. The scheme, which would combine existing public grants with new government funding and £400m in private investment, is designed to tackle the very retrofit challenge emphasised earlier. It aims to cut carbon and reduce energy bills by upgrading homes without any upfront costs to residents. London Councils is now calling on the Government to provide funding and policy changes needed to support the programme.

London’s leadership potential

The conference made clear that decarbonisation is increasingly seen as a key growth opportunity for London – not just an environmental imperative. With the capital making a significant net contribution to the Treasury, the message resonated that London should not be held back in its ambition to lead the UK on climate action – as growth in London ultimately supports growth across the country.