Press

Cutting Waste

Report Launch

A new report published today by The Conservative Environment Network suggests radical changes to the way we recycle and get rid of our waste. 'Cutting Waste: Recycling Costs and Improving Waste and Recycling Services' was written by Eunomia, a specialist waste consultancy and highlights the ways in which the incentives and targets for councils and the industry need reform as well as how productivity can be boosted.

Through a thorough economic analysis, Eunomia's paper shows how some incentives and targets can be better designed to maximise investment in infrastructure, encourage councils to work better together and avoid perverse and unintended negative impacts on the environment. The report suggests a new measure to replace the recycling rate as a measure of performance, analyses and recommends dismantling the LATS, and calls for the landfill tax to continue to rise in a way that will stimulate investment.

The report also investigates the inefficiencies in waste management and sets out proposals for boosting productivity that could yield over £700 million worth of savings that benefit local councils and council taxpayers.

Paul Foote, Director of the Conservative Environment Network said:

'Getting waste policy right is extremely important to the environment and to taxpayers. And this report does just that. By showing how savings can be made at the same time as making waste management greener, this will be a welcome contribution to the waste debate. The report tackles some of the knottiest issues of waste management with the rigour and seriousness it requires and comes out with clear recommendations that will have a real impact on the way government and local authorities think about cutting waste.'

James Fulford, Director at Eunomia said:

'Local authorities have transformed their waste management services in recent years, leading to dramatic increases in recycling and reductions in landfilling. However, the range of costs and performance across councils is too wide. Our report shows that, by applying the learning of the best performing councils across England, service levels and recycling performance can be increased at the same time as cutting overall costs. In these times of public sector austerity, we believe that council waste services provide a rare opportunity to deliver savings and improve services, provided Government acts to incentivise and support good practice.'

A full copy of the report can be found here

Comprehensive Spending Review

CSR lays the groundwork

The Comprehensive Spending Review laid the groundwork for the Coalition to keep its pledge as the 'greenest government ever.' From retaining the Feed-in tariffs to going ahead with the renewable heat incentive, from capitalizing the Green investment Bank to giving dedicated funding for low carbon technologies, the CSR showed the government is serious about cutting the deficit but recognises the need to kick-start green growth.

Commenting on the Comprehensive Spending Review, Paul Foote, Managing Director of the Conservative Environment Network said:

'Despite the difficult choices the Government faced, the green agenda was well served by the Comprehensive Spending Review. The Coalition kept to their promises and deserve recognition for laying the groundwork to keep its pledge to be the 'greenest government ever.'

Keeping the feed-in tariff will give investors much-needed confidence that renewable energy is a crucial part of the Government's plans for a low carbon economy; and going ahead with the renewable heat incentive shows that the UK is ready to start pioneering new ways to go green. The Government has betrayed a welcome understanding that green growth is essential to rebuilding the economy.

"While it is disappointing that there was only £1bn found to capitalise the GIB, it is a significant outlay at a time of dramatic financial retrenchment, and we believe if it is set up correctly, can act as an important seed for private investment in the green economy"

Not FiT to be trusted

Government credibility with business and carbon commitments at risk if Feed-in tariff watered down

On the back of public pleas from industry not to cut the Green Investment bank, the energy industry was once again thrown into uncertainty. The news that DECC and the Treasury have come to a CSR agreement that might cut the 'feed-in tariffs' and renewable heat incentive designed to incentivise low-carbon energy production have sent investors into a tailspin.

Cutting these subsidies now ahead of their review in 2013 would stomp on a seedling industry which is crucial to the UK's carbon targets. It would also send a directly contradictory message to the private sector which both parties in the Coaliton have called upon to lead the decarbonisation drive. A letter today from the Micropower Council and leading industry Chief Executives shows how alarmed the sector is at the threat of having the certainty they were frequently promised before the election pulled out from under them.

Paul Foote, Director of the Conservative Environment Network, said:

Cutting the feed-in tariff poses extreme risks - to the Government's commitment to carbon targets, to investor confidence, and to David Cameron's reputation on the environment. If there isn't an ambitious scheme for feed-in tariffs and a renewable heat incentive, it is game over for our domestic and European targets to reduce carbon. We simply will not meet them.

It will deal a huge political blow to David Cameron, who we believe is really committed to this, but would be seen to be reneging on his very personal promise to incentivise low carbon energy.

By going back on their word, both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats jeopardise the credibility of UK plc as a market. The Coalition came into power promising action and long term certainty for companies keen to invest in new technology and green energy. Serious people put some serious money together, ready to invest and will not be inclined to go back and start over if these schemes are abandoned.

Pulling the rug out from underneath investors will justify their decision to pack up shop and take their money elsewhere

For more information please contact Jessica Lennard on 07786 025 652