Published on 07 Dec 2010 • England, Wales |
"The CBI strongly supports emissions reporting because it helps businesses cut carbon effectively and demonstrate their commitment to green growth to investors. Many companies already report their emissions under a number of mandatory schemes, including the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, the Carbon Reduction Commitment and Climate Change Agreements. As ministers consider whether to make carbon reporting mandatory, it is important that the Government takes the opportunity to simplify and align existing regulations, and ensure that any changes fit with international practices."
"only a handful of companies....came within striking distance of complying with all of Defra's recommendations".
"the wide variety of both formal and informal carbon reporting practices identified does not facilitate comparison between companies or industry sectors, making it difficult to evaluate the relative performance of companies in monitoring and reducing their carbon footprint; a primary goal of the government in publishing the Defra guidance."
"The published report in fact only highlights the progress of voluntary carbon reporting, and the benefits that can have for the companies themselves. Which is fine as far as it goes – but it doesn’t go nearly far enough. It’s a wasted opportunity – especially as a lot of businesses already support the idea of mandatory carbon reporting because it will provide clarity for them and for investors. But the government’s failure to spell out the benefits – from helping individual companies reduce emissions to creating new jobs and developing a green economy – and the lack of a clear timetable for change, means more uncertainty for businesses and investors… at least until 2011 and quite possibly into 2012 and beyond. "