A letter to the Earth from Good Energy's CEO

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This year the UK hosts the world's most important meeting on climate change - COP26. This is our chance to make things right. Activists alone can't solve climate change. It is unfair to look to a few individuals to fix a problem caused by billions. The solution requires worldwide cooperation, from businesses, governments, and individuals.

After witnessing first-hand the impacts of climate change this year, from the record-breaking temperatures to the London flash floods - including in my own neighbourhood, I'm delighted to have joined a business dedicated to making a difference.

In May this year I joined Good Energy, a purpose-driven company which has been fighting climate change since day one, twenty-two years ago when renewable energy was not only a ground-breaking phenomenon, but something people didn't believe was possible. At that point, only 2% of the UK's electricity came from renewables, now it can reach 40%. But we need to do more.

My future vision includes a world covered with green space, thriving ecosystems, and a society powered by our natural resources

Consumerism plays a huge role in exacerbating climate change. But equally, consumer-powered decisions are one of the most powerful ways to change our consumption habits and reduce our environmental footprint. We all want a cleaner, greener future and this is being reflected in purchasing habits. Millions more people are choosing to support smaller, ethical, and sustainable businesses over the low-price points offered by industry giants. The demand for green jobs is at an all-time high, we are more cautious of who we work for. The market is changing and for the better.

Although we're making progress to repair the damage, we're not there yet. My future vision includes a world covered with green space, thriving ecosystems, electrical transport networks, and a society powered by our natural resources - wind, sun, and water. Localised energy solutions will be crucial to achieving this. We must transform the current fossil-fuel-powered energy industry to 100% renewables, supplied by individual generators across the UK, based on a model of generating, buying and storing local power, which will ensure a cleaner, greener future for all.

I recognise that we must be better. We must preserve the ecosystems we are so lucky to live with. Business, for so long seen as part of the problem, needs to be part of the solution.

I promise to do my part.

Nigel