EEF welcomes climate cost findings

London– Manufacturers organisation the EEF has welcomed the findings of a recent report by the Committee on Climate Change of the competitiveness impact of government climate change policies.

This report supports manufacturing’s clear message to government that unilateral climate change policies are adding costs that are not borne by our competitors, said Gareth Stace, EEF head of climate & environment policy.

The committee stressed the importance of compensating energy intensive industries to secure their competitiveness and long-term investment in Britain.

The EEF want the government to respond by committing to a compensation package for the long-term not just for the next three years.

“But, this is not just about a small number of energy intensive industries,” said Stace. “Rising energy costs are a growing problem for many manufacturers, with the government’s own figures showing them escalating between now and 2020. The government must ensure that cost effectiveness is at the heart of its approach to securing investment in new low carbon energy.

“The report is also clear that we can’t tackle climate change alone and that we need an international agreement that addresses the competitiveness issue and delivers genuine global reductions in emissions.”