A New Ministry of Works to Tackle Climate Change and Housing

Andre noted that plentiful, convenient and cheap fossil fuels have powered the industrial revolution through to today.

The shift to a zero carbon economy is a challenge whose depth is difficult to fathom, there is much to be sceptical about in the idea that the energy gained from fossil fuels can be substituted to enable current lifestyles to continue. So far peripheral progress has been made at reducing carbon emissions, with substantial progress yet to occur. Similarly substantial progress is yet to occur in tackling the housing crisis.

He proposed a new Ministry of Works as a government engineering organisation to tackle the housing crisis and climate change crisis. For housing the use of mass customization of mass timber buildings is proposed; for climate change an organisation that can assess, develop and implement transition technologies is proposed.

He also discussed challenges and opportunities to advocate to civil society, the civil service and political governance.