Firms Want to Reduce Emissions:
Survey
THE WEST AUSTRALIAN – AAP – September 11, 2007
Link: http://www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.aspx?StoryName=417446
The vast majority of
Australian companies want to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, but only 10
per cent say they have the know-how to deal with climate change, a survey
shows.
A
survey of 800 companies from the manufacturing and commercial construction
sectors in
It
showed that 56 per cent saw opportunities from climate change to promote their
company as socially responsible and to improve energy efficiency and lower
costs.
And
78 per cent of companies thought they had a responsibility to contribute to
reductions in carbon emissions even if it added to costs.
But
only one in 10 companies said they had enough information to appropriately
manage the risks associated with climate change.
Victorian
Minister for Environment and Climate Change Gavin Jennings said the first step
for businesses wanting to reduce their carbon footprint was measuring their
current emissions.
"By
developing a baseline, businesses can begin to apply smart and often quite
simple solutions to reduce their emissions," Mr
Jennings said at the launch of the report.
"Businesses
will also save money, because actions that save energy, water and resources
lower costs as well as reduce greenhouse emissions."
Ai
Group Victorian president and chief executive of paper group SCA Hygiene Don
Matthews said his company had taken big strides in reducing its carbon
footprint on several fronts, including purchasing virgin fibre
only from certified suppliers.
Other
sustainable business practices include reducing waste sent to landfill to zero
within five years, reducing carbon dioxide emissions year to year and cutting
water consumption by at least 15 per cent over the next five years.
"We
know what we are emitting and we have taken clear goals on how to reduce
it," Mr Matthews said.
"We
have made some inroads but we still have a long way to go."
Ai
Group chief executive Heather Ridout said industry
shared with the wider community an understanding of its obligations to be more
socially responsible but were also aware of the risk to their competitiveness
from higher costs.
"Companies
need more information on how they can improve sustainable practices, they need
a better understanding of an emissions trading scheme and they need better
incentives, particularly for small to medium firms," Ms Ridout said.
"Companies are
deeply conscious of the need to lower their greenhouse emission, and are taking
steps to reduce their electricity, gas, water usage and waste
productions," she said.