This month IEMA will publish its revised climate change and energy position statement.
Four main policy areas are identified. First is a call for climate leadership at all levels as we approach and exceed environmental limits.
Action is needed to address the unsustainable trajectory, to minimise longer-term costs and to help organisations and communities make an effective transition to be low-carbon and climate-resilient.
IEMA supports and recognises a professional urgency on climate change and encourages individuals, businesses, organisations and governments to all show climate leadership.
The second call is for policy drivers that provide certainty and confidence and are not subject to short-term political change. The statement draws on a number of recent examples, including disruptive “policy journeys”, such as extensive changes to the CRC, and examples of commitment reversal and policy delays – for example, on zero-carbon homes.
Members have been clear that short- and medium-term policy confidence is a critical ingredient for supporting their work on transformational change.
The two other policy calls concern the need to embed climate change as a mainstream business issue and to increase transparency on climate change performance – for example, through GHG reporting.
The launch of the statement will be supported by the development of a climate and energy web portal with practice examples, resources and information on climate campaigns from members.
A policy group is being established and the statement used in engagement work ahead of the climate summit in Paris next year and the UK general election in May.
