Members of an environmental professional association are upbeat on measures to reduce energy and carbon emissions
New IEMA research found that 75% of IEMA members say that energy and carbon reduction policies can be cost neutral for organisations and lead to financial savings.
Nick Blyth, policy and engagement lead at IEMA said that currently there is a gap in the government’s review of the business energy efficiency tax landscape and that clear objectives are needed on how much carbon reduction any new policies will aim to achieve.
He added that 90% of IEMA professionals believe that the government’s current review should maintain and or exceed the same ambitious levels of carbon reductions sought by earlier policies.
“These carbon reductions are vital to delivering our longer-term carbon commitments and also to enable UK business to compete on the global stage through innovation and in achieving efficiencies and cost savings.”
IEMA supports the goal of effective simplified and non overlapping energy and carbon regulation that could provide greater clarity and consistency.
This should be developed, impact assessed and introduced over a timeline that will minimise the impact on businesses, who have only recently established internal systems to deliver against the current policy landscape, the organisation said.
“Business and organisations need a durable policy landscape that provides long term confidence and certainty to inform investment in energy saving, and carbon initiatives that can deliver benefit to the bottom line and to the environment,” added Blyth.
He continued: “94% of IEMA professionals support the need for tax or price signals to be set over at least a three-year period, and should follow the good example of the landfill tax with its clear timeline.”
