Minister applauds plans to reduce business energy use

The recently announced Carbon Reduction Commitment will force large businesses in Northern Ireland to reduce their energy use, officials have claimed.


Last week, Ministers in Westminster unveiled their response to the consultation on the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) and revealed that the scheme will legally require large users of electricity to reduce their consumption.

If the scheme is agreed, it is set to come into force in 2010 and will introduce a mandatory emissions trading scheme for around 5,000 public and private organisations.

Welcoming the proposals, Northern Ireland’s Environment Minister, Arlene Foster, said that the scheme would help the country reduce its emissions and could prove a valuable tool in the fight against climate change.

“I believe that the Carbon Reduction Commitment will make a very significant contribution to the reduction of carbon produced by large public and private sector organisations through greater energy efficiency and thereby contributing to the overall reduction of Northern Ireland’s carbon emissions,” she said.

“I will be bringing the scheme to both the Environment Committee and the Northern Ireland Executive for policy approval over the coming months.”

James Cooper

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