Government assurances that the economic climate will not affect the UK’s focus on green credentials is extremely good news, but presents us with a tremendous challenge

Investing in new technologies and products will be difficult in a downturn, and we are still unsure to what extent the government’s targets will be embedded in statutory duties for companies. With budgets at a premium, both the public and private sectors will have more of a test to meet targets. The best green initiatives will be those that deliver improvements at the lowest cost.

The commitment to be green, however, is not easy. The move to a greener UK will come at a price, both in terms of investment cost and a change in public behaviour. Truly addressing climate change and meeting our carbon emission targets can only be achieved by everyone playing their part – from consumers choosing not to use plastic bags, all the way up to infrastructure and renewable energy development.

Steve Magenis, strategy director for Flood and Coastal Services, Royal Haskoning

Source

Building Sustainable Design