Joint statement on energy efficiency

Reducing Our Carbon Footprint Through Energy Efficiency

“using every unit of energy as efficiently as possible
has to be our ultimate ambition.”
Energy Review, Chapter 2 – Saving Energy

Climate change is widely accepted as one of the greatest threats we face. The Government has recognised this, and has rightly identified demand reduction as the most effective approach to tackling both climate change and energy security. The first priorities of energy policy must, therefore, be to enhance both energy efficiency and reduce absolute energy demand.

The Government has introduced a wide range of measures to encourage energy efficiency – however it is clear that a step change is urgently needed to reduce energy demand from buildings, the workplace, industry and transport.

A coalition of leading organisations have, therefore, put together the following Joint Statement setting out 11 clear and achievable steps that will help achieve the Government’s ‘ultimate ambition’ and contribute to meeting the UK target of reducing carbon emissions by at least 60 per cent from 1990 levels by 2050.

The signatories overleaf believe that the Government should:

  1. Introduce a mandatory UK Energy Performance Commitment for large commercial and public sector organisations with clear ambitious targets for reducing their carbon intensity year-on-year.
  2. Continue leading the development of a strengthened and expanded EU Emissions Trading Scheme including working for tighter caps across the EU and the inclusion of aviation, with high levels of auctioning of allowances to internalise fully the cost of carbon in business decisions.
  3. Commit to changing the Energy Efficiency Commitment into an instrument that stimulates the provision of energy efficiency services and reduces overall household energy demand.
  4. Introduce new incentives for achieving absolute emission reductions in existing homes. For example, stamp duty rebates, council tax rebates, a reduction in (or zero) VAT on all energy efficiency goods, 100 per cent grants to the poorest households and, for social housing, incentives for housing bodies.
  5. Urgently increase the provision of independent information and advice on energy efficiency measures for individuals and businesses including on the availability and performance of innovative energy saving technologies and supporting joint employer/employee initiatives to achieve energy savings at work.
  6. Fully implement its proposals to require all new homes to be zero carbon by 2016, including clear periodic targets towards that goal, and rapidly extend the Code for Sustainable Homes to all new buildings.
  7. Support the expansion of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive to cover all major commercial buildings and apply a wider definition of “public building” for implementing the current Directive.
  8. Improve incentives for the take up of energy efficient technologies in business – including 150 per cent Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECA) for innovative new energy saving technologies.
  9. Act urgently to set out clear mandatory requirements for energy efficiency in all large public sector building projects and refurbishments - and to audit compliance with them.
  10. Support the introduction at a European level of demanding minimum efficiency standards for energy using products and clear labelling of key products’ energy performance.
  11. Take urgent action to reduce emissions from the transport sector, including pressing for the European Union to reinstate the requirement for average emissions from new cars to reach the 120g CO2/km target by 2012 through improvement in vehicle technology – other ‘complementary’ measures should be in addition to this.

 

More information

  1. MP signatories

2. Organisation signatories

 

 

 

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Joint statement

Signing the Joint Statement