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New guidance for business to help measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions

News Release issued by the COI News Distribution Service on 01 October 2009

231/09 New guidance to measure and tackle greenhouse gas emissions for businesses and organisations has been published by Defra and DECC. The guidance has been published alongside advice on what it means to be carbon neutral.

Businesses produce a significant proportion of the UK’s GHG emissions and have a direct role to play in helping the UK meet its climate change commitments. The guidance helps businesses and organisations to measure and report their current emissions and set reduction targets.

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said:

“Businesses have an opportunity to lead the way on the UK’s climate change agenda and this guidance helps them do that. Measuring your GHG emissions is an important first step in addressing the UK’s contribution to the UK’s total emissions. By reducing them, organisations can save money on energy costs and resource efficiencies – as well as maintaining a competitive edge through strengthening their green credentials.

The UK committed to reduce total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 80% below 1990 levels by 2050 under the Climate Change Act 2008. A key requirement of the Act was to publish guidance to help organisations report on the emissions that they are responsible for.

The guidance is aimed at all sizes of business as well as public and third sector organisations.

Energy Minister Joan Ruddock said:

“Measuring emissions is fundamental to our understanding of climate change and a vital first step towards managing carbon impacts. Businesses will play a vital part in the UK’s move to a low carbon future and this guidance will enable organisations to identifying their emissions and work towards reducing them saving energy and money.

“We are committed to setting UK businesses on a course to combating climate change that will inspire other nations to take the same action.”

Complementing the GHG guidance, further guidance has been published on how businesses can be carbon neutral by following a three-stage process of calculating, reducing and offsetting emissions. Until now there has been no formal definition of carbon neutral. This latest guidance will help the Advertising Standards Authority in its rulings ahead of Defra’s revised Green Claims Code, due for publication later this year, which will help advertisers making environmental claims about products and services.

Notes to editors

· Guidance on how to measure and report your greenhouse gas emissions:

o The guidance is part of the Government response to the Climate Change Act 2008 and has been produced by Defra and DECC.

o Organisations using this voluntary guidance will not be required to submit reports or make data available to government. Reporting on emissions is voluntary.

o The guidance covers all 6 Kyoto greenhouse gases.

o Organisations can measure and report on all emissions that they are responsible for – both direct emissions and indirect emissions.

o The guidance is based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, which is the internationally recognised standard for corporate accounting and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions produced by the World Resources Institute/World Business Council for Sustainable Development. The guidance can be found at: www.defra.gov.uk/environment/business/reporting/index.htm

· As part of its obligations under the Climate Change Act, Government will review the contribution that reporting on greenhouse gas emissions makes to helping the UK to meet its climate change objectives. As part of that review, DECC will consider wider options for the treatment of low carbon electricity under the guidance. This will include reviewing how the purchase of electricity by businesses can stimulate increased low carbon generation and help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. DECC will report on this review no later than December 2010.

Carbon Neutral definition:

· DECC held a consultation in early 2009 on a definition of carbon neutrality and recommendations on good practice. The summary of the responses to the consultation and guidance on carbon neutrality is now available at: http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/open/carbon_neutrality/carbon_neutrality.aspx

· Based on the consultation document and the responses received, the Government has adopted the following definition:

“Carbon neutral means that – through a transparent process of calculating emissions, reducing those emissions and offsetting residual emissions – net carbon emissions equal zero’”

· The work on carbon neutrality reinforces the need for emissions reduction measures to be at the heart of carbon management activity.

Green Claims Code

Defra produces advice for business on using green claims , to help businesses to present the environmental credentials of their products accurately and appropriately, especially in advertising. The revised code will be out for consultation by December 2009.

Case study:

Limes Bed & Breakfast

The Limes Bed & Breakfast is a small Bed & Breakfast 12 miles from Bristol, set in the North Somerset countryside. The business is run along the principles to “tread lightly on the earth”. The Limes is a family run, 100% owned B&B so they account for all of the direct and energy indirect emissions related to the activities of the business.

After winning an award last year as a green business they were encouraged to calculate and publish their carbon footprint.

Fuel bills were used to calculate how much was consumed during the year. The figures for each fuel were entered into The Carbon Trust carbon calculator. As they are a family run business, they had no staff and live on site. There was no mileage for commuting to work to calculate. They calculated their emissions from their car which they used to transport guests and to collect food and supplies for the guests.

The Limes identified that their heating, lighting and vehicle use were responsible for emissions.

Heather Brain, Limes B&B said:

“The advantage of monitoring our carbon footprint is that it gives us accurate information on our fuel consumption. It will give us a year-on-year comparison as to how much fuel we are using.”

“It also allows us to compare ourselves with the National Average and this gives us a benchmark to decide if we personally consider our fuel consumption is acceptable or sustainable.”

The Limes B&B was the winner of the prestigious Carbon Positive Awards 2008 . More details on Limes can be found on their website www.limesbb.co.uk

Contacts:

Defra Press Office
NDS.DEFRA@coi.gsi.gov.uk

Amanda Waller
Phone: 020 7238 5608
amanda.waller@defra.gsi.gov.uk