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A new Policy Brief has been published on progress on the implementation of Jersey’s Carbon Neutral Roadmap (CNR).The brief summarises the Carbon Neutral Strategy and the Carbon Neutral Roadmap, agreed by the States Assembly, noting that “the objective in the CNR is “at a minimum reduce emissions by 68% compared to the 1990 baseline by 2030, and reduce them to 78% from baseline by 2035”.We have noted that Jersey has made considerable progress in reducing emissions – a 46% reduction between 1990 and 2021, an annual rate of about 2%. However, a significant proportion of this was accounted for by electricity supply being switched from an oil-fired

The Policy Centre has published a new Policy Brief - on transport policy . Key points - According to the 2021 Census there were 1.53 cars or vans per household in Jersey compared with 1.24 in England. 16% of households did not have a car or van, the proportion varying from 2% in St Mary to 30% in St Helier. 28% of carbon emissions derive from road transport. The key targets to be met by 2030 in the Carbon Neutral Roadmap include ending registration of new petrol and diesel cars and small vans and 67% of vehicles decarbonised. The default assumption in Government plans is that fuel duty rises in line with inflation. However, in the last two Government Plans fuel duty has been frozen at a cost of £5 million a year. The Sustainable Transport Policy, published in December, makes no reference to fuel taxes and does not provide an analysis of how the 2030 objectives are to be pursued. It prioritises six areas including raising the profile of public transport and managing vehicle movement through parking measures.

The Policy Centre has published a new think piece University education on-Island - some reflections on the past . The author, Dr Michael Goldstein, former Vice Chancellor of Coventry University, carried out a huge amount of work between 2004 and 2015 on higher education in Jersey. The paper notes that some progress has been made but that there continues to be a complete absence of Government policy or strategy for higher education. The paper argues that much more needs to be done to develop a strategic approach to improving the scale and scope of on-Island higher education and that there needs to be far better cooperation between the various delivery parties. The paper concludes that “the previously proposed Higher Education Centre for Jersey would be a practical way to achieve these objectives, and thereby better serve the interests and needs of the Jersey population”.

The Policy Centre’s 22 Policy Briefs each comprise a succinct up-to-date summary of the current position in respect of a significant policy area in Jersey. The Briefs include links to relevant policy documents and research. They have become well-established as a comprehensive and easily accessible source of reliable information on Government policy.

The Policy Centre has published a new research paper University education on-Island. The paper describes what university-level education is available in Jersey, analyses data on participation in university-level education and educational standards in the Island, discusses the case for a “University of Jersey” and considers other options for increasing university-level education on-Island. Its purpose is to provide the evidence base and analysis of options to enable appropriate policy responses to be developed.

On 8 December 2023 the Policy Centre held a discussion meeting on University education on-Island . That discussion was based on a draft research paper which has now been finalised University education on-Island and published on the Centre's website. The paper analyses data on participation in university-level education and educational standards in the Island, discusses the case for a “University of Jersey” and considers other options for increasing university-level education on-Island. Its purpose is to provide the evidence base and analysis of options to enable appropriate policy responses to be developed.

Simon Soar has been appointed Director of the Policy Centre Jersey. Commenting on the appointment, Alan Merry, Chair of the Centre said “We are very pleased to welcome Simon to the team. With a career focused on developing businesses in Jersey, and as Vice Chair of IoD Jersey, Simon is well placed to help us build on our momentum and provide leadership and support through, what will be, a critical phase of our development”.

The Jersey Government publishes a wide range of statistical information. Most recently, a new report The Jersey Classification of the Functions of Government Report 2022 was published on 21 November 2023.Notwithstanding its convoluted title and the fact that it has yet to find its way on to the statistics page of the Government’s website it contains a wealth of new analysis of public expenditure by the Jersey Government.The report classifies government expenditure in accordance with the United Nations Functions of Government system. The system enables comparisons to be made between jurisdictions and over time.

Jersey politics does not feature prominently in academic literature. Indeed, more generally there is comparatively little in the way of analysis or even description of the Island's political system.The Policy Centre has sought to address this issue, in particular by publishing papers on Jersey’s political system and Jersey’s constitution in its Knowledge Centre. The Centre’s database of academic papers is also relatively thin on Jersey politics, with just two papers: Henry Johnson’s study of the abortive attempt to establish a new national anthem for the Island and Mark Boleat’s study of the 2022 general election.It is therefore welcome that there is a new academic study of the Island’s 2022 general election. It is by two academics, Christopher Pich and John Reardon, who previously published an excellent analysis of the 2020 Guernsey election, included in the database of academic papers, which they described as “the strangest general election in the world”.

The Centre has published a new Policy Brief on the Government’s proposal for an offshore wind farm, which was announced on 17 October and on which a consultation has now commenced.The proposal is for a wind farm off the south west coast of the Island, producing about six times the amount of electricity currently used in Jersey. The wind farm would cost several billion pounds to design and build and the intention is that it would be privately funded and built by companies that have substantial experience of similar developments elsewhere.

The Policy Centre Jersey has updated its Policy Brief on the economy, to include the most recent figures on the size and growth of the economy and the analysis in the Fiscal Policy Panel’s annual report, published on 13 November.

From time-to-time the suggestion is made that there should be a tunnel or bridge connecting Jersey to France. This note provides a high-level review of the issue. The shortest distance from Jersey to the Normandy coast is 23 kilometres. However, bridges and tunnels can't just run from shore to shore. A fixed link would probably need to be at least 25 kilometres. The issues that need to be considered are practicality, viability, demand, implications for the ferry service, whether France wants a fixed link and perhaps the most politically difficult issue - the landing area for the fixed link.

On 29 September 2023 the Policy Centre held a discussion meeting based around its report Housing and Social Mobility in Jersey. The nature of the housing market was worsened social mobility in Jersey. House prices are such that many can afford to buy only with the help of the "Bank of Mum and Dad", and the children of homeowners are more likely to get help from their parents than the children of tenants.

The Policy Centre Jersey has published a report on the impact of the housing market on social mobility as part of its programme of work on social mobility.The report concludes that the operation of the housing market has worsened social mobility in Jersey. Those who bought homes many years ago have benefitted from the significant rise in house prices and have been willing and able to use the increase in wealth to help their children with housing costs, in particular to become home owners. Those who have been tenants have been less able to do this and their children have been priced out of the market.

The Policy Centre Jersey is now seeking a Director. The advertisement for the position sets out the person specification -‍ This one-of-a-kind role offers a talented leader the opportunity to join the Jersey Policy Centre and help us build better futures for people in Jersey. Established six months ago, we’re now looking for an equally one-of-a kind Director with the talent, insight and genuine interest to make a difference and to drive our development and ensure effective policy formation drives better decisions and outcomes.