Well they say a week is a long time in politics. Never was this more true that the last few weeks when it comes to the environmental and sustainability agenda for the UK.
It seems every time I write an article about legislative changes on the horizon to help shape the government’s Environmental Improvement Plan as part of the Environment Act 2021, then the rule book is ripped up, plans are delayed or scrapped leading to uncertainty for UK businesses in investing in a sustainable future.
Its not only big businesses such as the automotive sector or housing and construction that are seeing their long term plans challenged, through delays in the ban on the sale of new diesel and petrol cars put back by 5 years, or the delay in biodiversity net gain associated with new planning developments with currently no date for reintroduction. Smaller businesses who are taking steps to introduce a path to carbon net zero are also being left with uncertainty in how to invest in green infrastructure with the ban on gas boilers in new homes set for 2025 also being delayed.
I’m not even going to get started on HS2. Public transport is known to be a more efficient way to travel from a carbon perspective than cars, and businesses looking at types of employee and business travel to reduce their carbon footprint will no doubt have rolled their eyes (if you live North of Birmingham) at another cog in the Northern Powerhouse agenda being detached. Lets hope the East West infrastructure projects promised in its stead provide business with some encouragement for planning future logistics and travel.
In order to keep up to date with changes to the environment (and health & safety) legal landscape, why not give us a call to discuss how EHS Management can keep you on the right track.
