In its early years, IEMA recognised the need to provide support for businesses in tacking climate change. Our Practitioner series was launched in 2001 with the publication of “Managing Climate Change Emissions: a Business Guide” and climate change has, unsurprisingly, remained a high priority for IEMA ever since.
Our contribution to the development of UK government guidance on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions reporting in 2009 was recognised in the foreword by the Secretary of States for Environment, and Energy & Climate Change; while further work with Government economists on the cost/benefit analysis paved the way for a change to the Companies Act and the introduction of mandatory GHG emissions reporting.
Our GHG Management Hierarchy was taken up by UNFCCC and ISO to help guide organisations in driving climate action, and more recently, our Impact Assessment Guidance was cited by the Supreme Court as the underpinning methodology for assessing the GHG emissions of new development projects.
We have long advocated for the need to make ‘all jobs greener’. Our approach to upskilling the workforce to drive the transition to a sustainable future, was provided in evidence given to Environmental Audit parliamentary inquires in 2009 and 2021 – a theme that continues to resonate in policy and business agendas today.
Our joint work with CIEEM and CIRIA in 2016 to publish “Biodiversity Net Gain: Good Practice Principles for Development” and subsequent practical guidance paved the way for mandatory BNG to be introduced for new development projects.
IEMA’s evidence is cited by the European Commission in its proposal to revise the EIA Directive. and there is much, much more we could cite to showcase our professional influence.
As we look forward to the next 25yrs of IEMA’s journey, it’s clear that we need to remain at the forefront of sustainability and drive the changes that need to be made for a sustainable future.
By harnessing the insights from members around the world, equipping them with key sustainability skills, and supporting them as change makers, I’m confident that IEMA will be successful long into the future.