A greener tax system could restore the UK's low carbon leadership
George Osborne's apparent attack on the government's carbon reduction framework earlier this week at the Conservative Party Conference has left businesses, environmental campaigners and groups committed to a low carbon economy in a state of irritation and confusion.
It's ironic that in the same week in which those at the top of the Conservative Party aspired to mediocrity in carbon management, two groundbreaking international standards for measuring and managing business carbon use were unveiled in London and New York. The new accounting standards from GHG Protocol, to measure emissions from corporate value chains and from a product's lifecycle, will ensure that companies get a much fuller idea of their total carbon footprint.
Those businesses that have been eagerly awaiting these initiatives and who have already been rigorously tracking and reducing emissions use through, for example, the GHG Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), may now feel that the time, energy and money behind these efforts have all been wasted. Indeed, despite recent strides in legal commitments and technologies, there is a real fear that those who control the purse strings in Government will be reviewing and watering down Britain's carbon targets. To read this article in full click here
Sainsbury's checks out £1bn sustainability strategy
Geothermal energy heating the store, less packaging around the products, and a proliferation of greener produce looks set to become the norm for one of the UK's largest supermarket chains, after Sainsbury's last night became the latest retailer to unveil a demanding new sustainability strategy. The supermarket giant announced a £1bn sustainability programme designed to meet a raft of new environmental targets, including a commitment to reduce operational carbon emissions by 30 per cent against 2005 levels by the end of the decade. Goals on cutting packaging, increasing sales of fairly traded products to £1bn, and ensuring all fish sold is certified as sustainable were also included in the supermarket's newly launched 20 by 20 plan, which lists 20 corporate targets to be achieved by 2020. To read this article in full click here
Ford looks to reduce carbon footprint in supply chain
Using post-consumer materials and finding more energy-efficient ways to produce vehicles are just part of Ford Motor Co.'s strategy to reduce the company's global carbon footprint. Ford is looking at the energy use and carbon emissions of 128 global suppliers. These suppliers account for nearly 60 percent of the company's $65 billion in annual purchases. In 2010, the automaker surveyed 35 top suppliers that make seats, steering systems, tires, and metal components. What Ford discovered was how much the companies varied in their readiness to measure and report greenhouse gas emissions. According to the 2010 survey results, 80 percent of respondents said they track their carbon emissions, and 50 percent of those companies indicated that they externally report their emissions. To read this article in full click here
Virgin Atlantic plans to fly on low carbon aviation fuel by 2014
Virgin Atlantic, the airline owned by Sir Richard Branson, has announced that it is developing the world’s first low-carbon aviation fuel. The new fuel promises to have just half the carbon footprint of the standard fossil fuel alternative. The carrier plans to form a partnership with specialist energy company LanzaTech that will see waste gases from industrial steel production captured, fermented and chemically converted using Swedish Biofuels technology for use as a jet fuel. The revolutionary fuel production process recycles waste gases that would otherwise be burnt into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. “This partnership to produce a next-generation, low-carbon aviation fuel is a major step towards radically reducing our carbon footprint, and we are excited about the savings that this technology could help us achieve,” said Sir Richard Branson, the President of Virgin Atlantic. To read this article in full click here
FTSE 350 urged to boost green goals
Businesses have been urged to set more ambitious green goals if the UK is to meet its ambitious carbon budgets, after a new report found just 15 per cent of FTSE 350 companies have set emissions reductions goals that extend beyond 2020. Analysis of the FTSE 350 published today by PwC for non-profit group the Carbon Disclosure Project shows that while growing numbers of large firms report on their emissions they are failing to adopt sufficiently demanding emission reduction targets. The report warns that without more ambitious corporate emissions reductions the UK is unlikely to achieve its goal of cutting emissions by 80 per cent against 1990 levels by 2050. Encouragingly, the number of reporting companies setting reduction targets rose from 58 per cent in 2010 to 66 per cent in 2011, while 79 per cent of respondents cited climate change regulation as a risk to their business, up from 68 per cent in 2010. To read this article in full click here
Asda cuts CO2 emissions with high sugar grass
Asda is hoping to reduce CO2 emissions by 186,000 tonnes with a new type of grass for its cattle and sheep. Developed in Britain, Aber High Sugar Grass (HSG) is meant to cut methane emissions by 20% per animal, as well as limit feed costs by providing better nutrition.
The supermarket has had good results at the trial stage, and is now introducing it to its 13,500 farmers across the UK. Asda’s agricultural manager Pearce Hughes said: “Our tests show high sugar grass increases yields, reduces bought-in feed costs and saves carbon emissions, making it the perfect formula for British farming. Our aim is to ensure long-term financial sustainability for our farmers, as well as making sure we’re doing our bit for the environment, so this is a natural grass choice for us. To read this article in full click here
