On365

New UK carbon emissions targets must enable cost reduction, says on365

Chris Smith calls for recognition importance of wider business case for energy efficiency

The announcement to parliament last week by energy and climate secretary Chris Huhne in which he committed the UK to a 50 per cent cut in carbon emissions by 2025 compared with 1990 levels, has been met with broad criticism from businesses in the UK.

A proposed ‘carbon budget’ will run from 2023 to 2027, in an effort to meet legally binding emissions cuts of 80 per cent by 2050. This will put the UK on target for a 60 per cent reduction by 2030, making the targets on greenhouse gas reduction the most ambitious of any developed country.

Chris Smith, sales and marketing director at on365, a specialist in the planning, installing, management and optimisation of physical IT infrastructure and utility services, predicts that for the IT industry in particular, the proposal to reduce carbon emissions will be difficult to meet. He also calls for greater education for the IT industry and businesses on the whole, in order to promote environmental awareness and cut costs.

Chris commented that: “The new emissions targets demonstrate another step forward in changing the way the IT industry operates and to raise awareness of the effects on the environment. However, such dramatic objectives will not be easy to achieve.
“It is vitally important that the government provides the IT industry with the appropriate level of education to facilitate a change in processes in the sector and promote a more energy efficient method of working. It is also essential that the targets are achievable from a financial perspective.

“Increasing regulation compliance from the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency Scheme is already challenging, and with the pressure of rising utility costs in this tough economic climate, IT managers need to be assured that these new targets can be met, whilst also reducing costs.

“Long term energy efficiency objectives are a positive step for industry as a whole, but in the here and now budgetary pressures mean that cost cutting will remain the key driver for UK businesses required to conduct greener business operations.”