Report calls for action against offshored emissions

Posted on 18 Apr 2012 by The Manufacturer

A report from the Energy and Climate change Committee urges government to create climate change policy founded on consumption-based data and avoid outsourcing carbon emissions in order to meet national CO2 reduction targets

The Energy and Climate Change Committee’s findings highlight the global environmental impact of goods consumed in the UK but manufactured overseas.

According to the Energy and Climate Change Committee taking a consumption-based approach to emissions data shows that, far from having reduced its overall emissions since 1990, the UK has in fact increased carbon dioxide emissions 20% in the last 20 years.

Tim Yeo, chair of the Energy and Climate Change Committee said: “We get through more consumer goods than ever before in the UK and this is pushing up emissions in manufacturing countries like China.”

Manufacturer’s organisation EEF has cautiously welcomed the report but is disappointed the Energy and Climate Change Committee did not recognise a link between current government policy on production-based emissions reduction and electricity-intensive investment decisions.

EEF senior climate and environment policy advisor, Fergus McReynolds said government’s current approach does “not provide the right investment environment for manufacturing in the UK. Our research shows that the vast majority of manufacturers see the opportunities in the green economy, but only one in eight felt that the UK policy framework supported investment in the UK.”