Industry criticises Carbon Reduction Performance League Table
10 November 2011
The Engineering Employers' Federation (EEF) has condemned the publication of the first Performance League Table (PLT) for the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme. EEF has previously argued that since the revenue recycling element of the scheme was abandoned in last year's Spending Review the PLT is redundant as there is no incentive for companies to improve their energy efficiency.
In addition, the absence from the criteria for the league table of improvements companies have made as part of a Climate Change Agreements means that they appear far down in terms of performance when, by definition, of being part of an agreement they have substantially improved their energy efficiency.
EEF head of climate & environment, Gareth Stace, said it was disappointing that DECC had published the league table despite widespread criticism of it. "We had hoped that following the most recent round of consultation government would take steps to simplify the scheme given the removal of the revenue recycling element provides no incentive for companies," he said. "However, publication does not fill us with hope that government has fully taken stakeholder views into account.
“An example of how the League Table does not paint a true picture, is that many organizations that have been part of a Climate Change Agreement for the last 10 years, are shown to have taken little 'early action' within the PLT and therefore appear far down in terms of performance.
"Yet participation in a Climate Change Agreement, by definition, shows that companies have taken on board all cost effective saving measures since 2001. As such, not only will it’s publication not bring about the behavioral changes that government is hoping for, many companies will be worried that this mis-representative data will affect their reputation in un-warranted ways.”
The Environment Agency's first CRC Energy efficiency Scheme PLT is available here.