The Carbon Trust calls on businesses to join the new industrial revolution

“Climate change is the biggest environmental threat faced by the UK and action is needed now. Our industrial society is responsible for climate change and, looking to the future, we now have to create a new, low carbon economy. This is a commercial, business opportunity – one on which we call all businesses to act upon. We all need to understand and take responsibility for our actions and their impact on the climate.” Tom Delay, Chief Executive, the Carbon Trust.

The theme of taking responsibility lies at the heart of a new integrated communications campaign from the Carbon Trust - the largest of its kind to date in the UK. Carbon emissions are the main cause of climate change and in the UK, roughly half of them are produced by business. The Carbon Trust aims to use the campaign to raise awareness of the effect of climate change and encourage organisations of all sizes, whatever or wherever they conduct business in the UK, to take responsibility and act now to cut carbon emissions.

A year of change

2005 is poised to be a year of change. The UK leadership of the G8 Summit will put climate change at the heart of the international debate. The introduction of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and the coming into force of the Kyoto Protocol next month will put reducing carbon emissions at the top of the global business agenda. By acting now to cut carbon emissions, companies can contribute to the revolution that is needed to achieve a low carbon economy.

Launching on 17 January 2005, the campaign aims to raise awareness among business about how they can play a role in combating climate change and how they can benefit from doing so.

Tom Delay, Chief Executive of the Carbon Trust, said:

“Some UK businesses have chosen to act already – but more need to do so. Businesses need to understand that there is a real commercial benefit to be gained. We can help them find practical ways to act that will benefit both their business and the environment. Whether it is the strategic energy review and efficiency audits for large energy users, or the more straight forward actions such as reminding employees to switch their computers and lights off at the end of the day, all of these are practical solutions to tackle the issue of climate change.”

Supporting the Campaign

Welcoming the campaign, Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs , commented: “ Climate change is now rightly a much-talked about subject in the business community. But there is an enormous difference between talking and taking action. The Carbon Trust’s campaigning work helps business put policy into practice. British organisations, whether private or public, must continue to take the issue of carbon reduction seriously and help drive the UK towards a low carbon economy.  I am delighted to support this campaign and hope it will be the much needed call to action that helps the UK cut its carbon emissions and fight climate change.”

Supporting the launch of the campaign, John Cridland, CBI Deputy Director General, said: “The business community is often unfairly blamed as being solely responsible for climate change, when in fact we have already done more than most to cut emissions. More action is needed though, and as organisations in the UK become increasingly aware of the impact of climate change, many are already taking action. We welcome the Carbon Trust’s campaign as it offers practical and straightforward advice to UK business, as well as financial support, to help them combat climate change.”

The Carbon Trust offers impartial advice to businesses to help them cut carbon emissions and capture the potential of low carbon technologies.  An independent company set up by Government to help the UK meet its climate change obligations, the Carbon Trust creates business-focused solutions to carbon emission reduction through energy efficiency, carbon management and investment.

“Climate change is a fact,” says Tom Delay, chief executive of the Carbon Trust, a government-funded company charged with helping UK businesses and public sector organisations cut greenhouse gas emissions. “The physical impact of climate change, coupled with policy and regulatory initiatives, will have far-reaching and fundamental consequences for worldwide economic performance.”

Source: http://www.thecarbontrust.co.uk

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