Govt emissions targets unrealistic, say businesses

Date: 11th May 2009

Small businesses view the government's targets on cutting CO2 emissions as optimistic, according to a new survey.

Research by utilities giant npower reveals that 83 per cent of companies, including sole traders and partnerships, view the goal of reducing emissions by four-fifths before 2050 as unachievable.

Despite this, the energy firm insists that sustainability can have a number of positives for British business.

Director of energy services at npower, Julia Lynch-Williams, said: "The government has set the UK on a path toward a low carbon economy and must now continue to stress to businesses the opportunities that will come from low carbon operations."

She added that energy-efficiency was an "excellent way to save money", although it was not surprising that many firms were instead choosing to focus on their cashflow during the recession.

Research published by Continental Research this month showed that about 55 per cent of UK small firms had not been profitable this year.