UK Sets Public Sector Emissions Reduction Target Of 43%

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The UK Government last week announced it will stretch its public sector greenhouse gas emissions reduction target to 43% by 2019 to 2020 based on 2009 to 2010 levels in a move the government hopes will result in £340 million in savings.

UK Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark, speaking in Newcastle last Thursday, announced a range of measures he hopes will “place the UK at the forefront of the global shift towards clean growth” including a new public sector greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 43% over the next two years.

“Our new, ambitious target for reducing emission across our central estate shows how this government is continuing to lead the world and rise to the challenge of tackling climate change,” said Secretary Clark. “We have made significant progress so far, meeting our previous target 3 years early and saving just over £100 million last financial year as a result.”

The Department for Business, Energy and Strategy (BEIS) expects that the new emissions reduction across the public sector estate will result in savings of £340 million ($452 million) and will be implemented parallel to guidance on targets for the wider public and higher education sectors.

“The potential savings from this can make a big difference across the wider public sector, with the NHS saving £2 billion over the last decade; money that can be put straight back into frontline services where it’s needed most.”

BEIS Secretary Greg Clark also announced the £18 million Industrial Heat Recovery Support program, which will work to encourage industry to invest in heat recovery technologies which can harness the power of heat which would otherwise go to waste in an effort to improve industry efficiency and reduce costs.

“Of the more than $11 trillion investment expected in global power in the next three decades, 86% is expected to be in low carbon,” he explained. “And by 2040, electric vehicles could make up over half of global car sales, compared to 1% today.”

“We will be working with businesses to highlight these opportunities during the first ever annual Green GB Week starting on the 15 October.”


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Joshua S Hill

I'm a Christian, a nerd, a geek, and I believe that we're pretty quickly directing planet-Earth into hell in a handbasket! I also write for Fantasy Book Review (.co.uk), and can be found writing articles for a variety of other sites. Check me out at about.me for more.

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