The management of the public estate will also be critical to supporting a net zero pathway. 

Public sector bodies have been given zero-carbon targets to help reach net zero by 2050. But with some 300,000 public properties contributing 3% of all carbon emissions in the UK, in many cases this will mean retrofitting whole buildings - even estates - to ensure they’re energy-efficient. Such scale of work requires additional expertise, skills and resource capacity.

It is therefore essential that the government shows leadership in this area and drives down carbon emissions. The UK Government was the first major economy in the world to commit to going net zero for greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The ambition is to reduce emissions by 78% by 2035, compared to 1990s levels, along with the commitment for public buildings to achieve the Clean Growth Strategy ambition of 50% emission reduction by 2032, against 2017 baselines.

Central government properties alone have a value of over £100 billion, with the wider public estate valued at over £500 billion.

Government Estate Structure: