IEMA Calls for Long Term Certainty for Business on Environmental Taxes

IEMA has issued the following statement in response to the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement speech.

Call for Long Term Certainty for Business on Environmental Taxes

“The Chancellor is committed to securing the economy for the long term. For the green economy to play a central role, confidence and long term certainty is required. Frequent amends to established green taxes can damage this confidence”.

Long-term certainty is vital for business investment decisions in environmental measures such as energy efficiency and securing business investment. By perpetuating uncertainty with green taxes, the Government risks failing to achieve its environmental policy objectives for climate change and any delay will increase the costs of investment to business.

Green taxes have the potential to drive environment and sustainability right to the heart of business decision making by gaining the attention of the finance director and catalysing improved environmental performance. However, if poorly conceived, they act as a cost on business, undermining competitiveness without achieving their full environmental potential,” said Martin Baxter, Executive Director, Policy, IEMA

The Impact of Department Budget Cuts on Promoting Green Growth

“With Decc, Defra, BIS and CLG facing further budget cuts, IEMA is concerned this will limit the UK’s ability to promote green growth and the ability to engage with policies emerging from Europe", said Martin Baxter.

5th December 2013