Thatcher’s green legacy: an Iron Lady tinged with verdigris
Following the Iron Lady’s demise, the media has been quick to analyse and assess her political legacy. Few commentators have considered her contribution to environmental policy. Whilst this is perhaps not surprising – the Tories are not known to be best friends with the planet – it is nonetheless an omission – a gap in the coverage which I feel is worth correcting. Environmental friend or foe? There is no doubt that Thatcher made several powerful... Read More
Energy and water: our utility companies are failing us but we can take action
We’ve all felt the pain of crippling increases in our energy bills. And this week, it was the turn of the water companies to announce that they were hiking up their prices – those rises due to come in April will average around 3.5 per cent in England and Wales. So why are we paying more for our water? Talk to the water companies and they will tell you they are having to invest billions of pounds in improvements. But these are privately-owned... Read More
Will the end of ‘free’ financial advice encourage more sustainable investments?
Will the image of the financial adviser heading for the golf course die with the end to the myth of ‘free’ advice? The 1st of January marked a quiet revolution in the way that investment products are bought and sold. The ‘Retail Distribution Review’ (RDR) effectively banned financial advisers from taking commissions for selling products, requiring them instead to charge a fee for their advice. The myth of ‘free advice’... Read More
Will it be rational markets or irrational planning that will shape our energy future?
Photo courtesy of Abundance Generation We now know much of the contents of the forthcoming Energy Bill; the details of the compromises, squabbles, politics and complex policies which the Government hopes will provide a framework for building a coherent and sustainable energy infrastructure. We have some clarity coming through the fog, specifically the commitment to increase the levy cap to £7.6 billion at today’s prices, which is welcome news... Read More
Mandatory carbon reporting: what you need to know
FTSE-listed companies will have to report their carbon emissions from next year You have until October 17 to comment on the draft Regulations for Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting or as they are to be formally known as: ‘The Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Directors’ Reports) Regulations 2013′. They are, thankfully, concise and brief; just three pages. The accompanying consultation document (which is rather longer) does not follow the... Read More
RHI and FiTs: the unintended consequences of penalising green energy ‘early adopters’
Eco householders can't sell their green energy back to the grid Anyone who was brave enough (or stupid enough) to invest in on-site renewable technologies before July 15 2009 will not have forgotten the disappointment and sense of injustice when they discovered they were going to be ‘penalised’ for their efforts under the Feed-in Tariff (FiT), the Government’s mechanism for incentivising small-scale renewable electricity. Due to the cost... Read More
Corporate responsibility: what are we going to do about our broken banking system?
My flat in Bow offers a good view of Barclays Bank’s Canary Wharf headquarters, rising up alongside the other skyscrapers that symbolise London’s financial centre. Where once the Barclays’ signage was plain to see at the top of Churchill Place’s 156 metre tall tower block, there is now a gaping hole. Is this coincidental, or a deliberate attempt by its bosses to hide the true identity of this now tarnished brand? In his Sustainable Business... Read More
Recycling Commitment: the solution for SMEs or a waste of time?
Our Councils are generally good at encouraging us to recycle much of our household waste. They either collect it from outside our houses or ask us to take it to the local municipal tip. The position for businesses is totally different. Companies have to pay someone to dispose of or recycle their waste. Whilst large companies often have the volume to make it worthwhile for a waste company to make a special trip to collect it, many SMEs do not. Things... Read More
The CRC League Table: should we keep it or ditch it?
After a few false starts, the Environment Agency on Tuesday published the UK’s first league table ranking some of our best-known companies on their efforts to improve their energy efficiency. Its publication has been both welcomed and criticised – with some even calling for it to be scrapped altogether. So is league table a worthwhile project, or a waste of time? The Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Performance League Table ranks more than 2000... Read More
Mandatory greenhouse gas reporting for companies is on the way – or is it?
In case you weren’t aware (and many companies are not) the Government currently expects you to voluntarily report your greenhouse gas emissions using a reporting framework based on the international Greenhouse Gas Reporting Protocol Corporate Standard and ISO 14064-1. Earlier this year , the Government consulted on making reporting mandatory for businesses. Under the terms of the 2008 Climate Change Act, it is required to make a decision on this... Read More
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