UK public sector organisations are on track to deliver cost savings in excess of half a billion pounds through energy saving projects — and can go even further — says the Carbon Trust. This was announced as 120 public sector organisations — including central government departments, local authorities, schools, universities, police and fire services, and NHS trusts — joined Carbon Trust programmes to help them cut their energy use and carbon emissions further over the next five years.
Since 2001, more than 3000 public sector organisations have worked with the Carbon Trust. The energy-saving projects they have implemented during that time will deliver combined cost savings of £650m over their lifetime and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 6.5 million tonnes. But, says the Trust, the future potential is even greater, with further public sector projects already identified that could deliver additional cost savings of up £3 billion and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 34 million tonnes.
“The UK public sector has shown impressive leadership in recent years in tackling carbon emissions and bringing down energy use," says the Trust's Head of Public Sector, Richard Rugg. "It is especially encouraging to see that, along with greater levels of knowledge and skills, we are also seeing a steady increase in ambition. A few years ago, organisations graduating from our public sector carbon management programmes aimed, on average, to cut their carbon emissions by 12 per cent over five years — now they are aiming for 30 per cent.”
Carbon Trust annual carbon management programmes for the public sector enable local authorities, universities and NHS trusts to collaborate in developing and implementing effective carbon reduction plans. Around 400 have already completed the programme. A further 120, with a combined annual energy spend of £365m, yesterday signed up for the year ahead. These included 20 ministerial departments, government agencies and non-departmental public bodies that joined a new Carbon Trust programme for the central government estate.
