Eagle eyes ENVIRONMENT

A self-styled `extraordinary' meeting, at the end of June, saw the Chemical Industries Association team up with the Government to make presentations on safety and environmental issues.

The generally positive indicators of safety and environmental performance for 1996 (see below) were followed by a speech from Angela Eagle, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (PUSS) for Energy Efficiency and the Health and Safety Commission. She also launched the Energy Efficiency Office's new Pathfinder guides to reducing wasted energy.

With a new slant on an old joke, Eagle invigorated the gathering, which was suffering from the effects of serious escape of statistics. The Association was in no position to laugh about her job's acronym, as it had a more sinister alter ego in the US, itself (arf, arf).

`I'm here today to mark the launch of the Pathfinder guide,' she said. `As Minister with special responsibility for energy, I'm particularly interested to hear about the work of the CIA in this area. This Government regards the environment, sustainable development and the climate as key issues.

`The chemical industry is taking visible steps. I recognise the progress that has been made but, like all initiatives, it requires constant attention to keep it rolling.'

Eagle told the conference of industry figures, CIA members and press that she would like to add three of her own ideas: to see targets set to boost the number of companies with certified energy management systems; to see industry leading the way in environmental reporting, by improving the quality of reports and making better use of external verification; and thirdly `to see us working together to develop environmental indicators of performance so companies can see how their progress compares with competitors and with other industries.'

Eagle has told the Environment Agency to be firm in its dealings with offenders. `Enforcement and prosecution are the only answers... for those for whom good behaviour is not a natural part of their approach,' she said.

Moving on to the industry's attitude to energy usage, she expressed satisfaction that CIA members had cut consumption by 4 per cent, last year. But she warned against complacency, reminding everybody that Labour had pledged in its manifesto to further reduce CO2 emissions by 20 per cent, by 2010.

Industry would need to embrace CHP more warmly, to meet the 5000MW target of 2000. The Government is talking with the CIA about `negotiated' energy efficiency.

Eagle was coy on the dread subject of the as yet unformed carbon tax, saying `I am not the Chancellor'. However, she did employ the ominous phrase `it's too early yet to say'. Any such development would depend on the `effectiveness of other policies and the developments of our partners in Europe,' she concluded.