12 July 2018 – On the ten-year anniversary of the UK Climate Change Act, The Prince of Wales's Corporate Leaders Group convened a discussion between leading UK businesses and Parliamentarians to explore setting a net zero carbon emissions target for the UK.
The Prince of Wales's Corporate Leaders Group (CLG) held at event in Parliament on 11 July for leading UK businesses to talk to policymakers about the value of setting transformative targets that have the potential to deliver innovation and change. The event marked the ten-year anniversary of the UK Climate Change Act, and followed a recent announcement by UK Climate Minister Claire Perry that she would ask the Committee on Climate Change for their advice on setting a ‘net zero’ target for the UK.
Eliot Whittington, Director, CLG said:
“Since the Climate Change Act was ratified ten years ago, not only has climate science become ever clearer and more compelling, but also has the evidence that climate action makes good economic and business sense. It is clear that stronger action is required if we are to avoid catastrophic climate change, and also that that action can unlock innovation and drive new industries. Our discussions in parliament focused on the power of setting clear targets to galvanise investment and to achieve a zero carbon economy.”
With an increasing number of countries and businesses setting net zero targets, momentum is growing for more ambitious goals. The roundtable discussion, chaired by Eliot Whittington, brought together senior executives from over 20 businesses including Unilever, Interface and Anglian Water, Parliamentary hosts; John Penrose MP and Clive Lewis MP and The Committee on Climate Change CEO, Chris Stark. The event provided an opportunity for business to talk about what they have learned from taking ambitious targets and what the positive case is for action. It included aspects of where they have addressed emissions across their own operations as well as through their value and supply chains, with the aim of demonstrating how transformational targets can drive results in a way incremental targets do not.