Government departments must contribute to 32% overall reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) by 2019/20 compared with 2009/10 levels, under new commitments for the government estate.
The Greening Government Commitments cover all central government departments, agencies, non-departmental public bodies and non-ministerial departments in England and supercede the first round of the commitments, which ran out this year.
Each department has its own 2019/20 target. These range from a 4% reduction for the National Crime Agency to 66% cut for the Treasury (see full breakdown below).
Meanwhile, the environment department (Defra) must reduce its emissions by 38% and the communities and local government department (DCLG) by 60%.
New and merged departments formed this year have not yet been included in the targets. The energy and climate change department (Decc) has a target reduction of 32%, while the business department, which it merged with, must reduce emissions by 40%.
The government fell short of its target to reduce GHGs by 25% in 2014/15 by three percentage points, mainly due to emissions from the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Nonetheless, Defra said measures to reduce emissions in 2014/15 had saved the government £185 m compared with 2009/10. Defra has not yet published its progress report for 2015/16.
Other targets for 2019/20 include:
- reduce business-related domestic flights by 30% against a 2009/2010 (excluding MoD frontline flights);
- reduce waste sent to landfill to less than 10% of overall waste; and
- reduce paper consumption by 50%.
Defra has asked departments to cut the amount of waste generated and increase recycling, although no specific targets have been set. It requires each department to set a water reduction target and report water consumption against office-based full-time equivalent staff.
Although there are no specific targets on procurement, departments must report the systems they have in place and action taken to ensure their procurement is sustainable. ‘Each department has flexibility on how to deliver this and is responsible for putting sustainable procurement into practice,’ said Defra. The new commitments cover supply chains and require departments to reduce suppliers’ impacts and risks, and disclose how they have used government tools on procurement.
Defra said departments should also consider publishing information on: how they are tackling climate change adaptation; biodiversity and the natural environment; procurement of food and catering; and sustainable construction.
