Memorandum submitted by the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (PRB08005)

 

1. The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Environmental Audit Committee's 2008 Pre-Budget Report Inquiry.

 

2. In principle, and given the current economic circumstances and the lack of ability of government generally to integrate its policies effectively to deliver meaningful environmental improvements, CIWEM endorses Chapter 7: Delivering on Environmental Goals.

 

3. As expected, Chapter 7 of the Report focuses on climate change without making the link between this urgent problem and the resource consumption that largely caused it, hence our comment in (2), above. Much of the remainder of the Report contains measures designed to maintain current (or return to those levels seen prior to the current economic downturn) levels of consumption. Whilst this dichotomy persists, and in continuing to apply the current economic model, CIWEM considers that there is little chance of making the changes to our society and economy required to afford a realistic chance of preventing dangerous climate change. Furthermore, economic growth is simply not sustainable indefinitely and for this reason alternative models of economic success should be considered.

 

4. CIWEM considers that the current economic downturn and the Government's intention to stimulate the economy through bringing forward public works represent a rare opportunity to deliver a step-change in deployment of environmental technologies and good practice. Such investment would have the longer-term benefit (after stimulating job creation and enhanced global competitiveness of UK-based environmental industries) of ensuring greater energy security and efficiency, leaving a valuable legacy for future decades. Chapter 7 hints at this but CIWEM considers that the measures contained are inadequate to make a sufficiently meaningful impact on either economy or environment. Measures to accelerate the delivery of 200 new rail coaches are referred to (although it is not clear the extent to which these will be additional to existing rolling stock or replacing old carriages) but such measures are minimal compared to what is required in order to create a genuinely sustainable transport system which allows and encourages high levels of public transport use.

 

5. CIWEM is pleased by the commitment to extend the renewables obligation until at least 2037 and the introduction of a feed-in tarrif for small-scale renewable energy generators is welcomed. However, again the scale of support for such essential new infrastructure could be greater in the context of what is required to meet the targets set under the Climate Change Act and a public works scheme of similar impact to President Roosevelt's New Deal. CIWEM contends that stimulus for investment should be geared towards developing genuinely sustainable infrastructure, i.e. providing what is needed in the long-term and not short-term fixes for a stumbling economy.

 

6. We are disappointed by the proposed vehicle excise duty increases (or lack thereof). We consider that those drivers of the most polluting vehicles will not be effected by the 'clearer environmental signal' of an increase of a maximum of £5 in 2009 or £30 in 2010. These figures set in the context of the overall cost of owning and running such cars are a complete triviality. CIWEM is disappointed also to see no clear commitment to encouraging hydrogen vehicle technology, which arguably in the long-term offers greater flexibility than regular electric vehicle technology, as has been demonstrated by manufacturers such as Honda.

 

7. CIWEM is pleased to see that energy efficiency and insulation measures are to be extended for many low income households and we would urge the Government to continue such initiatives as cost-effective ways not only of reducing the carbon impact of domestic properties but also sending an environmental signal to residents.

 

8. Overall, CIWEM considers that much in the 2008 Pre-budget report points in the right direction as far as the environment is concerned. However step-changes are required both in terms of how economies are run (with a move away from the current emphasis on perpetual economic growth) and the level of commitment required to addressing environmental challenges - which at the same time could go a long way to generating new industries and employment.

 

 

January 2009