Analysis in Government month is fast approaching. This article explores how the Department for International Trade (DIT) are planning to mark the month within their department. Please think about what you could do within your department to celebrate Analysis in Government Month.

The Best Practice and Impact Team (BPI) at the Office for National Statistics (ONS) are coordinating events across the Government Analysis Function in May to raise awareness of the function, promoting the work that we do and bringing people together across the community.

DIT has sprung at this opportunity to showcase the vital work we do, looking to both publicise and contribute to centrally coordinated events. A working group with representatives from the four analytical professions in DIT; Government Economic Service, Government Operational Research Service, Government Statistician Group and Government Social Research, has also organised a series of local events to highlight the work of analysis throughout the department and ensure a better understanding of the different professions.

Below are some of the questions that will be answered over the coming month.

What do non-analysts think analysts do?

In a panel session chaired by DIT’s Chief Analyst, expect some deep and probing questions about the value of analysis in non-analytical teams. Colleagues from policy, communications, the overseas network and more will not only wax lyrical about the multitude of ways that analysts have improved their lives, but also give feedback on how analysts can work more effectively with stakeholders.

What do analysts think analysts do?

To open Analysis in Government Month, the DIT All Analysts meeting at the beginning of May has been commandeered to demonstrate the range of work done across the Analysis Function. A BPI representative will give an overview of the function across government, while DIT’s Chief Scientific Advisor will talk in more detail about his role and the work he does with analysts. A panel of senior analysts will also discuss their varied paths to the summits of their respective professions.

Each week throughout the month, a different team will present a webinar on a project that exemplifies how analysis supports all of DIT’s objectives. These talks will demonstrate the diversity of analysis in DIT, covering a range of topics including:

• the modelling of the Japan Free Trade Agreement
• market access research in Kenya and Ethiopia
• the National Survey of Registered Businesses
• pioneering internal data science

What do analysts actually do?

Being an analyst in DIT is about a lot more than the extraordinary wizardry produced on a daily basis to ensure the smooth running of government. In a series of videos, representatives from each profession at a variety of grades take you through a day in the life of an analyst. This focuses not only on the work they do, but also on how they look after their physical and mental health during the pandemic.

If you work in DIT then you can get involved by contacting your Deputy Director of Analysis or statistics Head of Profession.

• At the Summit, the United States announced it will target reducing emissions by 50-52%, compared to 2005 levels, by 2030.
• Countries accounting for half of the world’s economy stepped forward to reduce emissions enough to keep a target of warming by 1.5 degrees Celsius within reach
• The UK announced a very ambitious climate change target, aiming to slash emissions by 78%, compared to 1990 levels, by 2035.
• Thailand’s Minister of Natural Resources and Environment announced the country’s first Climate Change Bill and adoption of the Bio-Circular-Green- Economy Model as Thailand’s steps to reduce emissions.

Today (29 April 2021), UK Ambassador Brian Davidson and U.S. Charge d’Affaires Michael Heath reaffirmed climate commitments each country made at the US-hosted Leaders Climate Summit last week. The Chiefs of Mission welcomed Thailand’s announcements, praised Thailand for its regional leadership on climate change issues, encouraged all countries – including Thailand – to set ambitious NDC goals to help reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, and pledged support for Thailand.

Climate change is threatening futures and affecting livelihoods globally. Its real-world impacts are already all too visible, including in Thailand, which has been ranked among the top 10 most impacted countries in the world by climate change over the last 20 years. Here we have seen catastrophic flooding, drought, fires and other extreme weather events.

The Leaders Summit on Climate, hosted by the United States and held from 22-23 April 2021, brought together many world leaders, including from the UK and Thailand, as well as leaders of international organizations, businesses, and NGOs, to galvanize efforts by the major economies to tackle the climate crisis. It was a key milestone in this vital year for climate action as the world works towards the global climate negotiations at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) which will be held in Glasgow, UK, in November this year.

As host of the Leaders Summit, U.S. President Joseph Biden made a historic commitment to cut emissions by 50-52% relative to 2005 levels by 2030, nearly doubling the United States’ previous target. This came as the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that the United Kingdom is setting into law one of the most ambitious emission goals in the world, to cut emissions by 78% by 2035 relative to 1990 levels.

A number of other countries, including Japan, China and South Korea, have also recently announced more ambitious climate commitments or a plan to update their NDC before COP26. New targets announced ensured that nations accounting for half of the world’s economy have now committed to the emission reductions needed globally to keep the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5-degrees C within reach. Every G7 country now has an NDC that puts them on a path to net zero by 2050.

But much more needs to be done. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has stressed that to have a chance of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees we need to reduce global emissions by 45-50% by 2030. So together, the US and the UK are encouraging every country to come forward before COP26 with a more ambitious Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to put the world on track.

At the summit, Thailand’s Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Varawut Silpa-archa provided an update on progress in drafting Thailand’s first ever Climate Change Act and use of the Bio-Circular-Green-Economy Model, marking Thailand’s steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to changing climate conditions ahead of COP26.

The United Kingdom, as COP26 President, the United States, and Thailand hope to join countries around the world in setting new ambitious commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions before COP26.

Brian Davidson, British Ambassador to Thailand, said:

We, all of us, need to act now to protect our planet for future generations. We hear Thailand’s call for greater international support, and we are committed to supporting Thailand in its journey. The UK is funding the Rice NAMA programme which Minister Varawut mentioned at the Summit. It is also supporting Thailand’s transition to clean energy and greening the financial system through the ASEAN Low Carbon Energy Programme and the support for the electric vehicle policy in Thailand.

Michael Heath, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Thailand, said:

The United States is already helping Thailand modernize its power grid and better integrate alternative energy and electric vehicles. We are also helping Thailand develop tools to address air pollution, drought, and disaster risk reduction. The United States stands ready to help Thailand achieve its climate objectives.

An extra 8,771 police officers have been recruited to cut crime and keep communities across the country safer as part of the government’s campaign to bring in 20,000 additional officers, new Home Office figures published today (Thursday 29 April) show.

As of 31 March 2021, every one of the 43 police forces in England and Wales has hit or surpassed its first-year recruitment target since the launch of the Police Uplift Programme in September 2019.

The new figures show that the government is already 44% of the way towards meeting its ambition of hiring 20,000 additional officers by 2023, with many of these new recruits already on the streets and doing their bit to protect neighbourhoods.

The Police Uplift Programme is an unprecedented opportunity to create a more representative police workforce, and the statistics show that forces are more diverse than ever before.

More women (45,996) are now employed as police officers in forces across England and Wales than ever before. Since April 2020, 42% (5,037) of the new recruits have identified as female.

The number of Black, Asian and other ethnic minority officers is also now at its highest point on record, with 10,218 officers from these communities employed in forces across England and Wales. Since April 2020, recruits from these communities have made up 10.6% (1,212) of all joiners.

The data shows the appetite for thousands to join the police has continued despite the coronavirus pandemic, with online assessment processes, virtual career fairs, and internet workshops continuing to run safely during lockdown.

Policing Minister Kit Malthouse said:

Joining the police to help make neighbourhoods safer is a noble career and I am heartened to see thousands more people make that choice.

An increase of 8,771 officers is a great achievement, and I want to thank forces for their considerable efforts to help us exceed our target for the first year of the recruitment campaign.

It is fantastic that our police forces are now more diverse than ever before, but we know there is still more work to do to on this front – I will continue working with police leaders to ensure our forces are truly representative of the communities they serve.