To develop systems that will help both public and private sector organisations account more accurately for the wider social and environmental costs of their activities.
The Centre for Local Sustainability (CLS) develops practical yet challenging policies and projects to support local authorities in addressing issues that stretch, literally, from global to local.
CIPFA is one of the leading professional accountancy bodies in the UK and the only one which specialises in the public sector. It is responsible for the education and training of professional accountants and for their regulation through the setting and monitoring of professional standards. Uniquely among the professional accountancy bodies in the UK, CIPFA has responsibility for setting accounting standards for a significant part of the economy, namely local government.
CIPFA's new publication sets the scene for people in public sector organisations who need to know the current state of play on the sustainability agenda, and provides a tool to help them to communicate to all of their stakeholders how they are responding to the challenge.
The Climate Change Communication Initiative is led by Defra in partnership with the Energy Saving Trust, the Carbon Trust, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Environment Agency, the UK Climate Impacts Programme and the Department for Transport.
The LGA Climate Change Commission was established to consider how local government can respond more effectively to both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and deal with the impact of climate change.
The commission will look at the ways in which councils can tackle carbon emissions in their own buildings and facilities, in the services they provide and decisions they take in housing, transport and social services. It will investigate how authorities go about purchasing green goods and services as well as the most effective way to share best practice. It will explore the leadership role of councils in encouraging individuals, communities and businesses to reduce their emissions. Members will also consult with authorities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The aim of CRU is to improve scientific understanding in:
»past climate history and its impact on humanity
»the course and causes of climate change during the present century
»prospects for the future
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) is an independent body established under the Climate Change Act to advise the UK Government on setting carbon budgets, and to report to Parliament on the progress made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The UK Government is committed to addressing both the causes and consequences of climate change and to that end is bringing forward proposals for a Climate Change Bill.
The Bill will introduce a clear, credible, long-term framework for the UK to achieve its goals of reducing carbon dioxide emissions and ensure steps are taken towards adapting to the impacts of climate change.
The UK is acting now to adapt to climate change and to reduce the risk by reducing our contribution to the causes. These pages explains what climate change means for the UK and what we are doing about it.
The Committee on Climate Change will be a high profile independent statutory non-departmental public body and will play a crucial part in the UK’s effort to tackle climate change.
The Energy Services Directive will promote energy efficiency in the UK and must be fully implemented by 17 May 2008. It will impact on both providers and users of energy. The Directive’s full name is the EC Directive on Energy End Use Efficiency and Energy Services and, as announced in the Energy White Paper, new policy measures may be needed to implement it. Defra has lead responsibility for implementing the Directive and is working closely with other government departments and the devolved administrations to ensure it is implemented on time.
The action plan sets out a more strategic approach to policy and delivery on the natural environment. It sets out a number of actions for Defra and key partners and stakeholders to move collectively towards an ecosystems approach to conserving, managing and enhancing the natural environment in England
ECI is an interdisciplinary unit administered within the Oxford University Centre for the Environment that undertakes research on environmental issues, teaches an MSc in Environmental Change and Management, and fosters university-wide networks and outreach on the environment. The Institute is currently organized around three major research themes - Climate, Energy, and Ecosystems - the latter two with close links to the OUCE research clusters: Climate Systems and Policy and Biodiversity .
Every Actions Counts provides advice and support to voluntary and community organisations which are looking to reduce their impact on the environment, tackle climate change and improve their local area.