Climate Change Adaptation Strategy

Dear Mr Johnson    Proposal – Corporate Sustainability Frameworks and engaging with all building users new and existing buildings  I would be grateful if these could be added as a contribution to your consultation responses.  It is clear that we need to seize upon all opportunities with a proven ability to reduce environmental impacts and move towards carbon neutral activity. The following outlines the issue and a solution that is supported by a global movement for change where we in Britain are being left behind.  This proposal would make a major contribution to reduce UK carbon emissions by 80 per cent against 1990 levels by 2050 and achieve the Government’s ambition that all new non-domestic buildings should be zero carbon from 2019, and new homes zero carbon by 2016.  This proposal would also do much to improve the economic fortunes of organisations, many consider the lack of transparency and public reporting on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance as a contributory factor to the problems being experienced by the economic system.  But perhaps equally important we believe in 'Green Jobs' for those on low incomes.    I believe all government acts that emanate from the DCLG, Department for Climate Change, and Mayor of London' plans etc, should require companies that make up the green economy, to employ a targeted percentage of those on low incomes.  This provides a workforce from those currently redundant or underutilised, addresses issues of poverty and diversity (as these largely make up low income households), lifts the economy and gives everyone buy in to fully participate in sustainability day to day at home and work (awareness and action), where many feel green matters are a middle class debate and the poor are largely forgotten or worse.  This approach will also greatly assist the achievement of government targets because the more people are empowered and involved the quicker the benefits are achieved including health and wellbeing, and robust businesses able to globally compete.    Homes generate 27% of UK emissions, and non domestic buildings 17% of emission, from the way we heat, cool and power buildings.  Those working in the built environment can do much to change this and the talent to achieve it exists but needs leadership from government.     The global position is that Sweden and Norway require all state owned companies to issue Sustainability Reports. Malaysia has required all companies report their performance on sustainability to ISO 14001 for many years.  The governments of Argentina, Denmark, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Norway are signed up to the Amsterdam Declaration on Transparency and Reporting and are on the path of also requiring organisations to issue sustainability reports.  Indeed the European Parliament is considering making GRI sustainability reporting a requirement for member states.   The problem is that there is no infrastructure to encourage corporate sustainability; we all know it adds value but if there is no specific requirement to do it, it can be avoided.  This avoidance is not good for organisations or governments.  If the government or yourself as Mayor of London were to show leadership and require sustainability measurement and reporting of all organisations the dissemination of good practice and achieving government targets could be tangibly monitored and dramatically speed up the meeting of targets.    I would like to meet with you or your colleagues to discuss the above further. The benefits are wide reaching including awareness for  company staff, residents, and other stakeholders, plus enhanced business profile, operational efficiency savings, and support to access capital income from grants i.e. CERT & utilities (hundreds of thousands are available for works to existing properties and the Mayor recently reported concerns many households are not taking it up).  In addition there are wider regulatory, environmental, economic and social benefits, plus the reduction in green house gases through reduced environmental impacts.   In addition the proposal involves:  -        Corporate bonuses linked to performance on reduced Carbon emission, reduced waste, and reduced water use  -       Better joining up of grants and information, and far better training for the people that work within these agencies to help, direct, and target enquires  -        Produce a simple directory of the agencies that provide information and grants and regularly update the same along with changes to that occur to legislation  -       Help the elderly and vulnerable to improve their homes; those that must choose between heat or eat in winter due to 'fuel poverty' should be made a priority in a caring society  -       Some prime time television programming with Celebs 'Saving the World's Resources, Caring about the Planet'     -             -         Raising the design quality of publicly funded buildings and spaces – The system provides guidance and advice on ways of sustainably improving the built environment.  -             -         Seeking to stimulate innovation with public and private sector   -             -         An opportunity for a ‘win win’ that enables organisations to deliver more for less as a contribution to the government’s efficiency agenda.         I am asking for your support to set up programmes that can help those working in the built environment to go green by sharing best practice and achieving quality, transparent, comparable (league table can be set up), and accountable accreditation.  In short I ask that you help me to do more for home owners, tenants, construction, housing and its professionals, the employment of people on low incomes and engaging diverse communities.    If you are serious about listening to ideas that could make a difference I look forward to a positive response and should you feel this needs to be redirected perhaps you could facilitate this by participating in a meeting regarding the same to help bring about the change we all need and want to see.    Yours sincerely,   Chartered Environmentalist, Chartered Housing, Chartered Designer, and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building