This toolkit was first written in February 2020 in collaboration with leading infrastructure provider Amey, reflecting the discussion at the Excellence in Place Leadership (EIPL) session in January. Green finance was much in the news at the time, and we had intended to publish the toolkit in March to coincide with the planned launch of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Sustainable Finance.

Climate risks are growing year by year, and the steps we take over the coming months and years to rebuild our economies will have a profound impact on future sustainability, resilience and wellbeing. Green finance is centre stage to facilitating sustainable recovery and renewal. At the time of writing, the European Commission was consulting on its Renewed Sustainable Finance Strategy to mobilise capital and boost green investments by fully integrating climate and environmental risks into the financial system.

In the UK, there are national recovery groups being set up by government covering a range of areas relating to our shared interests, including economic recovery, transport, and environment. These plans need to be joined up and be more than just recovery; they need to be about place shaping and renewal. Local authorities are also planning for recovery/renewal, and at the same time reviewing their climate emergency strategies to see what can be accelerated or what may have to be put on hold until there is more clarity about the level of government funding.

ADEPT and Amey recognise that we need a 'new normal' where we capture and build on some of the positive side effects of COVID-19 and the behaviour changes we have seen. We want to 'leapfrog' our ambitions for clean growth, green recovery, and delivering Net Zero carbon.

ADEPT members and partners are playing their part in supporting the transition to a new normal for people and places, and the economy, and the environment. We aim to provide our members and partners with the tools, information, and guidance they need to do this effectively. This toolkit is part of that offer.