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James Somerville

@jamessomervlle.bsky.social
918 followers 2.4K following 122 posts

Head of Policy at NPC. Interested in evidence-based policy, climate, local growth, and green jobs. Views are my own. He/Him. @jamessomervlle on X, www.linkedin.com/in/james--somervil…

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Reposted by James Somerville
NPC @thinknpc.bsky.social · 27/06/2025
We're delighted these 4 partners: Caudwell youth, Holding Space, Investing in Children and Chilypep - helping us to hear directly from children, young people & carers in understanding how we can rebuild the #mentalhealthsystem so it truly works for those who need it: www.thinknpc.org/blog/barrier...
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 07/07/2025
I’m very excited to share that I’ve been awarded a Churchill Fellowship for 2025! I'll be travelling to Germany, France, and the USA to learn about how best to work with communities to generate buy-in for community energy projects. If you know someone I should speak to, please do let me know!
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Reposted by James Somerville
NPC @thinknpc.bsky.social · 25/06/2025
🆕 NEW BLOG: Following the launch of the Governments Industrial Strategy, aiming to drive growth nationally by focusing on eight industries over 10 years. Our Head of Policy, James Somerville looks at where there is huge potential for green jobs. Read full blog: www.thinknpc.org/blog/industr...
thinknpc.org
What does the Industrial Strategy mean for green jobs? - NPC
Across the eight industries in the Industrial Strategy, there’s huge potential for green jobs.
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
Positive to see the Spending Review reference the impact economy - the impact sector should be a key partner in mission delivery. Housing is a great example, impact investors already put c.£5bn into social & affordable housing. Good to see govt thinking seriously about the role of the impact sector.
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 04/06/2025
Great to be at the launch of this last night. Community involvement is at the heart of #EveryonesEnvironment, so it's positive to see govt talking seriously about different models of community ownership. As always, communities will need clear, accessible info about what these projects mean for them
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
Congrats Becky, very exciting!
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 20/05/2025
Pleased to have fed into this APPG on Race & Community report alongside our #EveryonesEnvironment partners. It highlights how climate change is making existing inequalities worse, here and abroad, and sets out some really sensible recommendations - great work from @runnymedetrust.bsky.social!
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Reposted by James Somerville
NPC @thinknpc.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
📩 Lunch time read! NEW blog: What does the rise of Reform UK mean for the impact sector? 6 things you need to know. Read our latest blog by NPC's Head of Policy, @jamessomervlle.bsky.social: www.thinknpc.org/blog/rise-re... #ReformUK #ImpactSector #UKGovernment
thinknpc.org
What does the rise of Reform UK mean for the impact sector? 6 things you need to know. - NPC
Reform-led councils might be more challenging to engage with on certain issues, but the constraints and challenges facing local councils might mitigate this.
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 24/04/2025
It's been great working with Scottish charities on this paper. Like our #EveryonesEnvironment work in England, involving diverse voices in policymaking and accessible information are key priorities. Environmental policy needs to reflect people's needs, and people need to know what they should do
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Reposted by James Somerville
Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland @ercscot.bsky.social · 24/04/2025
📢 Scottish charities call on Holyrood to make environmental policies more inclusive With #EveryonesEnvironment, we wrote to Scottish Parties with recommendations to improve how environmental policies affect marginalised and disadvantaged groups in Scotland. www.ercs.scot/news/scottis...
Charities that endorsed the Everyone's Environment recommendations for making environmental policy inclusive in Scotland are: the Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland, Greenspace Scotland, Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE), Human Rights Consortium Scotland, Inclusion Scotland, NPC, The Poverty Alliance, SCVO, Verture, Woodcraft Folk, YMCA Scotland, Young Sea Changers Scotland, and Youth Link Scotland.
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Reposted by James Somerville
Alex Hayes @alexhayes1.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
Do have a look at these two great roles available with us @thinknpc.bsky.social
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Reposted by James Somerville
Simon Evans @drsimevans.carbonbrief.org · 14/04/2025
The crisis for UK steel is exposing another – perhaps even bigger – crisis for the UK Our news media seems incapable of even the most basic factchecking YES energy for UK steelmakers is costly NO it's not due to net-zero YES it is due to GAS Here's what UK media isn't telling you🧵
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
Great report from @green-alliance.org.uk and @cast-centre.bsky.social, and this table is interesting. Shows that there is political space for targeted tax rises - interesting to see if this + the "the world has changed" narrative paves the way for some kind of wealth/windfall tax in the SR
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
"Half of people would likely switch to heat pumps if it meant savings on bills" - couldn't be clearer that climate politics needs to focus on lower bills, cleaner air, warmer homes etc rather than net zero. With cost as a key barrier, targeted support is key. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
independent.co.uk
Many unaware of negative heat pump ‘myths’ but cost is big issue, polling finds
A survey showed half of people would likely switch to heat pumps if it meant savings on bills.
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Reposted by James Somerville
NPC @thinknpc.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
📖 Lunch time read! Now is the time for a government match-funding scheme to unlock growth. With the #Government looking to make their #budgets go further, and charities struggling to access funding, #match-funding could be the answer. Latest blog by @jamessomervlle.bsky.social
thinknpc.org
Now is the time for a government match-funding scheme to unlock growth
Match-funding should be used to tackle barriers to employment
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Reposted by James Somerville
NPC @thinknpc.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
💥 NEW! Now is the time for a government match-funding scheme to unlock growth. With the #Government looking to make their #budgets go further, and charities struggling to access funding, #match-funding could be the answer. Latest blog by @jamessomervlle.bsky.social
thinknpc.org
Now is the time for a government match-funding scheme to unlock growth
Match-funding should be used to tackle barriers to employment
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Reposted by James Somerville
Thomas Penny @thomaswpenny.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
But did they ask how much people think is spent on overseas aid? Jennifer van Heerde-Hudson writes in Sex, Lies and Politics (2019) that the average voter in her research thought 18% of UK government spending went on aid, and wanted it cut to 9%. The actual spend was 1.7%.
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Reposted by James Somerville
NPC @thinknpc.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
💥New! Understanding the role of community-led early years support Read our new report published today in partnership with @localtrust.org.uk exploring the types of locally-led early years support on offer, and the difference it can make. Read the report: www.thinknpc.org/resource-hub...
thinknpc.org
Understanding the role of community-led early years support - NPC
In this report we explore the types and distribution of community-led early years provision in England.
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Reposted by James Somerville
NPC @thinknpc.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
Government cannot expect charities to fill the gap in cuts to international development funding. In this blog, @jamessomervlle.bsky.social writes that Governments need to partner with the impact sector, not just ‘get out of the way’ buff.ly/41pNrEh #aidcuts #government
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Governments need to partner with the impact sector, not just ‘get out of the way’
We know that ‘stepping back’ doesn’t work. The key is a true partnership to tackle shared challenges.
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
Massively agree - climate policy shouldn't be seen as about cutting things out (meat, driving, flying, etc.). There are loads of benefits that govt don't talk about as much (lower bills, cleaner air, etc.) and govt need to lean into the point that this is about making places and homes nicer/better
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
Great to be at the launch of this yesterday. Communities are central to tackling many of the challenges facing the country, and it's positive to see @coopparty.party.coop setting out a clear vision for the role of communities in politics.
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
The net zero transition can save people money, create good jobs, and improve homes and neighbourhoods. But if we want it to do that equally across the country, we need to work with communities to make sure that environmental policies work for everyone. 7/7
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
We need to understand the specific needs of different communities, and design policy that meets those needs. The best way to do that is to ask people, community groups, and charities what challenges they are facing, and involve them in the design of policies to address those challenges. 6/
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
If we want wide uptake of clean heat and transport, we need to think about how we can make them accessible to as many people as possible. This might mean more info, targeted £, or investment in public transport/active travel . Expensive electric alternatives aren't a universal solution. 5/
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
The CCC seem to have been reading our Everyone's Environment work when they wrote this: "Net Zero policies should be accessible, with targeted outreach and support for home heating measures and improved accessibility of public transport and active travel". 4/
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
Over 40% of emissions reductions in the Budget come from transport and homes. The report rightly focuses on electrification, and in the context of housing and transport, this means EVs and heat pumps, as well as a shift towards public transport and active travel. 3/
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
It's clear that the transition to net zero presents an opportunity to save people money, and create good jobs in places that need them. The Carbon Budget sets out where we should focus on cutting carbon emissions to get there. 2/
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
This week, we've seen the @thecccuk.bsky.social's 7th Carbon Budget highlight that the green transition would save households around £1,400, and news that the green sector is growing 3x faster than the rest of the economy. 1/
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Reposted by James Somerville
Andrew Sissons @acjsissons.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
I’ll come back with some screenshots of charts, details on changes in pathways and so on in a bit… … but I think the big change in the 7th carbon budget is that the technology choices for net zero are now pretty clear. We need to stop arguing as much about technologies and electrify things quickly
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Reposted by James Somerville
NPC @thinknpc.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
Morning read! ☕ We know that ‘stepping back’ doesn’t work. The key is a true partnership to tackle shared challenges. Governments need to partner with the impact sector, not just ‘get out of the way’. 💥 New blog by @jamessomervlle.bsky.social:
buff.ly
Governments need to partner with the impact sector, not just ‘get out of the way’
We know that ‘stepping back’ doesn’t work. The key is a true partnership to tackle shared challenges.
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
Without targeted work to raise awareness, there's a risk of more schemes with low uptake and little change on the ground. Community engagement isn't a "nice to have", it's an essential ingredient if we want to see a significant shift in what people do. 7/7
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
This means things like regulatory standards are key, but more fundamentally we need to know a) what people's questions are, and b) what benefits they want. To find this out, we need to work with different communities to understand their specific needs, and tailor info/comms/engagement to them. 6/
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
... as I heard @drdonalbrown.bsky.social say the other day, people don't buy the financing, they buy the car. If we want people to "buy the car", then they need to understand the benefits of low carbon heating, know which option will work for them, and trust that it will be installed well. 5/
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
This reflects what we see in other opinion research. If the UK is going to continue relying on consumer choice to drive the shift in home heating, there needs to be much more work raise public awareness of the benefits. How you help people pay for it has been a big focus in policy but... 4/
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
The report also highlights that: - People generally support the move away from fossil fuels, but are less aware of the importance/benefits of heat decarbonisation - People aren't confident that changes to home heating will bring benefits - People need info so that they can pick the right option 3/
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
"While the research showed that there is general approval for decarbonising heat [...], acceptance of new heating systems will depend on how well solutions are tailored to local and household circumstances" It's clear that people want solutions that they know will work for them. 2/
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
Great new report from @ukerc.bsky.social, bringing together 5 years' work on decarbonising heat. Particularly interesting to see the evidence on public engagement! ukerc.ac.uk/publications... 1/
ukerc.ac.uk
Decarbonising Heat: Synthesis Report
This synthesis report brings together the findings of the last five years, in which UKERC’s independent analysis has...
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Reposted by James Somerville
NPC @thinknpc.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
We know that ‘stepping back’ doesn’t work. The key is a true partnership to tackle shared challenges. Governments need to partner with the impact sector, not just ‘get out of the way’. 💥 New blog by @jamessomervlle.bsky.social: buff.ly/41pNrEh
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
To steal @leahdavis.bsky.social's quote, "Empowering diverse voices in policy and the media can transform the conversation. And working directly with local charities means communities get the support they need to respond to the consequences of environmental change."
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
Great to see the Clean Industry Bonus providing targeted support for the communities that need it most to create green jobs. Schemes like this can counter anti-net zero narratives. If the transition creates good jobs and cuts bills, it will be much easier politically. www.gov.uk/government/n...
gov.uk
New industry bonus opens to support good jobs and low carbon manufacturing factories
Industrial heartlands and coastal areas will receive a major economic boost as the government backs renewable energy firms investing in industrial communities.
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
Really interesting - I think the role of CE as a kind of "proof of concept" to avoid opposition to bigger scale energy infrastructure could be huge. Not to mention the community cohesion angle re people "having a stake" in their community. Loads of , big, tricky, interesting questions to work out!
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
Thanks Fraser - completely agree! For lots of things related to net zero, people like the sound of them but don't know what they should do/how to get involved. For all of this, accessible info and proactive capacity building is key - otherwise there's a risk of worsening existing inequalities.
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
There should also be proactive outreach activities to raise awareness among disadvantaged groups of the opportunities that community energy projects create, and to support their involvement. Full analysis here: committees.parliament.uk/writtenevide... 6/6
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
At a minimum, there needs to be clear information about community energy schemes and the investment opportunities that they create. This should be developed in partnership with disadvantaged groups. 5/
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
In our #EveryonesEnvironment research, we heard that people from marginalised groups, particularly young people, want to be involved in CE projects. People were mostly interested in guaranteed schemes that secured their investment, and wanted clear information on what the investment involved. 4/
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
There aren't huge numbers of these projects across the country yet, but this trend is worrying. If this govt wants use CE to deliver on their commitment to cut bills, then they need to think about where these projects are. Targeted support for the communities that need it most is critical. 3/
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
We found that, in the 10 most deprived LAs in England, there' s one community energy project per 140,000 people. In the 10 least deprived, the is one CE project per 35,000 people. In Chiltern, the 3rd least deprived LA in England, there are 2 CE projects for a population of under 2,000 people. 2/
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James Somerville @jamessomervlle.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
Yesterday, the Energy Security & Net Zero Committee has published our written evidence for their inquiry into community energy, which includes our analysis of Community Energy England's National community energy map. 1/
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