IEMA writes to Conservative leadership candidates, with Professional Bodies Climate Action Charter

IEMA has signed an open letter calling on candidates in the Conservative party’s leadership contest to remain committed to delivering on the government’s net zero and adaptation targets.

The letter was coordinated by the climate diplomacy organisation E3G and was written by the Professional Bodies Leadership Climate Action Charter, which represents 13 million professional members globally across a wide range of sectors from science and engineering, law, health, construction and the built environment, and finance and insurance.

Sarah Mukherjee MBE, CEO of Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) said:

“We are in a climate emergency, with the frequency of extreme heat and droughts across Europe likely to continue to increase without intervention. We must have a Prime Minister in place who is committed to delivering on the UK’s Net Zero Strategy whilst ensuring that we have a cleaner economy, underpinned by green skills and jobs, to enable the transition to a more sustainable future.”

Heather McKay, UK Sustainable Finance Policy Advisor at E3G said:

“Delivering the net zero transition is key for the UK’s economic future. Professionals across the country want more good jobs, warmer homes, and lower bills. This will not happen without a strong commitment to tackle climate change from the new Prime Minister.”

The letter says:

“As the Conservative Party prepares to welcome a new Prime Minister to lead the UK, it is important that MPs prioritise net zero in order to meet the ambition and demand of the private sector. Implementing a robust Net Zero Strategy is the UK’s best path to unlocking the numerous economic opportunities associated with the net zero transition, including shielding UK citizens from the ongoing energy price crisis, creating hundreds of thousands of high-quality jobs and unlocking private investment at scale for the sustainable markets of tomorrow.”

You can read the full letter here PBCAC Letter to Conservative MPs

Tom Pashby

Digital Journalist, IEMA

Tom Pashby is a Digital Journalist at IEMA, working alongside the Head of Media Abigail Simmons, and the Senior Media Officer Tim Farmer.

Alongside their work for IEMA, Tom is currently studying part-time for an NCTJ Diploma in Journalism with PA Training, and freelances as a writer and editor. They have written about the climate emergency, LGBTQIA+ rights and the UK constitution for publications including the Times, the i newspaper, Metro, PinkNews and the Ecologist.