Monday 18 May 2020
‘A carbon scoreboard should be introduced for policymakers’
A carbon scoreboard should be introduced to measure how new policies align with net carbon emissions.
This is just one of the suggestions from think tank Bright Blue and engineering services firm WSP, which have collaborated on a range of new ideas to accelerate the delivery of the UK's 2050 net zero commitment.
Both groups say net zero commitments are 'more urgent than ever for the UK Government and businesses' - some of their proposed ideas include the introduction of 'carbon pound', which is a virtual representation in terms of money for the environmental impact of purchased products and services chosen by consumers.
They suggest the 'Future Homes Standard', the building regulations for all new homes to incorporate world-leading energy-efficiency levels of performance and low carbon heating systems, should be implemented now, rather than waiting until 2025.
They say decarbonisation standards introduced by local authorities to decarbonise small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) could help in speeding up the transition to a greener society and note new legislation could mandate companies of a certain size to audit their supply-chains to ensure they are not contributing to deforestation.
The think tank also supports the increase in the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) and suggests flights operated on SAFs should be charged on a lower rate of air passenger duty (APD).
Patrick Hall, Researcher at Bright Blue and report Co-Editor, said: “Achieving net zero emissions by 2050 is by no means an easy feat. Large parts of the UK’s economy remain rooted in fossil fuels and hard-to-abate sectors present the greatest challenge to decarbonisation.
“The coronavirus crisis should act as a catalyst for governments and businesses to urgently do more to address the challenge of this century - climate change."
Mark Naysmith, Chief Executive at WSP UK, commented: "The net zero agenda is an opportunity to build back better, level up the country, boost our national resilience and attract new talent into the built and natural environment, as well as being a societal duty."
