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Catalysing the transition to low-carbon heat in homes

Nesta at Liberal Democrat Party Conference

In A sustainable future

21 Sep 2025

The UK's biggest net-zero challenge is decarbonising home heating. A million boilers should be replaced with clean heating by 2030. The scale-up in uptake requires big policy changes, necessary for meeting climate targets, cutting bills and reducing gas imports.

We were at this year’s Liberal Democrat Party Conference to bring together a panel of experts to discuss the key policies that could make decarbonisation work and explore previous examples on how to influence policy. We were joined by Duncan Brack, Environmental Policy Analyst and Advisor, Ines Wittke, Research Manager at Public First, and members from Nesta’s sustainable future mission.

Andrew Sissons

He/Him

Andrew is deputy director on Nesta's mission to create a sustainable future, which focuses on decarbonisation and economic recovery. His team focuses on setting up innovation projects and partnerships that reduce carbon emissions from homes, which is a key part of the UK reaching net zero. Andrew has a background in climate change, economic geography and productivity. Andrew joined Nesta from the Environment Agency, where he led the agency's work on funding and green finance, having previously been the agency's chief economist. He has worked in government (Cabinet Office, MHCLG) on cities and local growth policy, helping to create the new metro mayors in several cities in England. He has also previously worked at The Work Foundation and as an economic consultant.

Duncan Brack

He/Him

Duncan Brack is an independent environmental policy analyst, working on issues including deforestation, agriculture and climate change; forests and bioenergy; and the interaction between environmental regulation and trade rules. Current roles include Adviser, Tropical Forest Alliance; Facilitator, EU and UK Cocoa Coalitions; Associate, Green Alliance. Within the Liberal Democrats, he is an elected member of the party’s Federal Policy Committee and he chaired the policy working group that produced the 2025 climate policy paper, For People, For Planet. He was a special adviser at the Department of Energy and Climate Change during the first two years of the Liberal Democrat - Conservative coalition government, 2010–12.

Ines Wittke

She/Her

Ines Wittke is a Senior Policy Manager in Public First’s Energy and Environment Practice, where she works at the intersection of policy and public attitudes around the Net Zero transition. Her work combines social research expertise with a focus on how to make ambitious climate policies feel fair, realistic, and deliverable for people. She previously worked at Imperial College London, where she supported academics in engaging with climate and energy policy, helping to increase the impact of their work.

Wera Hobhouse

She/Her

Wera Hobhouse was first elected as the MP for Bath in 2017 and has been re-elected in 2019 and 2024. Wera sits on the Energy Security and Net Zero Select Committee. She is Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Europe and Chair of the APPG on Eating Disorders. She serves as co-chair of PRASEG (APPG for Renewable and Sustainable Energy) and the Environment APPG. Wera also serves on the Panel of Chairs, chairing Westminster Hall debates and bill committees. In the 2017-19 Parliament, Wera was the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Communities and Local Government and served as a member of the Brexit Select Committee. In 2018 she successfully introduced the Upskirting Bill, making the act of recording an image from underneath a person’s clothing without consent a criminal offence. In the 2019-24 parliament, Wera was the Liberal Democrat spokesperson on Climate Change. In 2023, Wera’s Private Members’ Bill, the ‘Workers Protection Bill’ became law, adding protection to employees from sexual harassment in the workplace.

Madeleine Gabriel

She/Her

Madeleine leads Nesta’s mission to significantly cut carbon emissions from UK homes by 2030. Her team works with national, devolved and local governments, consumers and industry to develop, test and scale up ideas, policies and initiatives that can speed up the transition to greener homes. Madeleine previously led Nesta’s work on inclusive innovation, researching ways to create an equitable, innovation-led economy in the UK. She has published widely on innovation practices that promote sustainability and social impact. Madeleine has also worked as a consultant evaluating local and national government programmes across a wide range of policy areas, including public health, housing, learning and skills and local economic development.

Catalysing the transition to low-carbon heat in homes

About Nesta

Catalysing the transition to low-carbon heat in homes