ATCM Calls For An Acceleration To Net Zero
The Role of Towns and Cities Highlighted in Response to
BEIS Consultation in the UK
ATCM has called on the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy to not waiver on its commitment to net zero. In the wake of local economic challenges made worse by climate change and the potential business benefits of going green, ATCM has stressed that a speedy transition to net zero is not optional and should not be diluted.
The call comes amidst political turbulence in Westminster with the third Prime Minister in under two months taking office. Doubts around the commitment to net zero have emerged following the possibility that the new Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, would not travel to COP27 in Egypt and the launch of an earlier consultation under former Prime Minister Liz Truss, on whether the cost of living crisis necessitates the UK taking a different approach to tackling carbon emissions.
ATCM pointed to the importance of this topic to its membership given the key role played by the built environment stating:
"This matters to us as a trade body whose members are the guardians of high streets, town centres and city centres because these locations are hubs of community and commerce. They are where consumers and businesses come together and where so much of our economic interactions take place. The economic performance of our high streets, town centres and city centres is indicative of the performance of the whole UK economy."
ATCM went to highlight how net zero and growth are no longer separate aims.
"We have come to the conclusion that, in the medium to long-term, growth will no longer be achievable without first achieving net zero. This is not about choosing between the two. Growth and net zero have become co-dependent.
We arrive at this conclusion from observing the multiple impacts of extreme weather events across the globe. It is increasingly clear that failing to reach net zero will result in economic contraction due to both the direct and indirect challenges for businesses that are the result of climate change."
Read ATCM's full response here.