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Climate Change starts here
29/06/2007
A group of leading business people with an agenda to combat climate change has met for the first time.
The Climate Change Business Delivery Group, chaired by Scottish and Southern Energy Chief Executive Ian Marchant, will share ideas and challenge Scottish business to do more to tackle climate change.
The Group has agreed a work plan focusing on ensuring business is properly informed of the compelling evidence of climate change.
Two working groups will look at:
- logistics, including staff travel, in order to reduce emissions
- considering in detail the most successful measures that will significantly reduce energy consumption
Each of the businesses on the Group have pledged to go further in their own actions to reduce emissions from their own businesses. That will be a source of inspiration and information for others in the Scottish business community.
Climate Change Minister Stewart Stevenson said:
"Climate change threatens our economy and our society and can only be tackled if we all work together.
"We will consult on a mandatory target to reduce our emissions by 80 per cent by 2050. This will be a long-term framework and business input will be crucial in shaping and developing the Climate Change Bill. The Bill will provide a framework for industry to invest in world-beating technologies, turning Scottish business into green business.
"The Climate Change Business Delivery Group will make a major contribution to challenging and persuading others to continually improve Scotland's response to the threats of climate change."
Ian Marchant said:
"The Scottish government's intention to target an 80percent reduction in emissions has again underlined the scale and importance of the climate change challenge. Scotland is exceptionally well-placed in being able to bring together in this way a diverse range of businesses committed to tackling climate change.
"I hope this Group will help Scottish businesses to do more to reduce emissions and to influence policy and practice throughout the country, thereby helping Scotland to have a leadership position in the fight against climate change."
The full membership of the group is:
- Chair: Ian Marchant, Scottish & Southern Energy
- Stephen Baxter, BAA Scotland
- Brendan Dick, BT Scotland
- Mary Dickson, First Scotrail
- Martin Hensman, George Wimpey Scotland Ltd
- Peter Lederer, Gleneagles Hotel
- John Mason, Scottish Executive
- Ian MacKay, Royal Mail
- Ken MacKenzie, Scottish Co-Op Group
- Jim McColl, Clyde Blowers Ltd
- Iain McLaren, KPMG
- Susan Rice, Lloyds TSB Scotland
- Ken Ross, Elphinstone
- Satty Singh, MS Namana Ltd
- Mike Straughen, Wood Group