House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee (6th Report, Session 2008-09): Greening Government
The Environmental Audit Committee’s (EAC) report leans heavily on the findings of the Government’s Sustainable Development Commission (SDC), to provide a strong critical response to central Government efforts to meet emissions reductions targets.
The EAC found some progress had been made against targets for sustainable operations on the Government estate. However, in 2007–08 the Government was not on track to meet its target for the reduction of carbon emissions from its own buildings. Although the Government was on track to meet its targets for recycling and for the sourcing of electricity from renewable sources, its performance had declined from the levels achieved in 2006–07.
The Committee suggested that the Government’s ease in meeting some targets, even as its performance worsens, indicates the urgent need for more stringent targets to match the high level of ambition of recent policies on climate change and sustainable development, in particular targets that improve the sustainability of Government operations each year.
These could be met through investment in low carbon technologies and by driving the development of “green” skills in the workforce. The Government must use its buying power to drive progress towards a greener economy, and ensure a clear line of accountability in the governance of sustainable operations, with cabinet Ministers taking active roles in overseeing performance management. The EAC also recommended that a system of targets and monitoring should be extended from central Government departments and their Executive Agencies to the wider public sector, including outsourced operations.