Confederation of British Industry (CBI)

Further information

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Paris Agreement and net-zero emissions

• CBI has stated support for the Paris Agreement.[2] [3]
• CBI has stated support for the UK’s 2050 Net Zero target.[4]
• In its 2022 response to the UK government’s Review of Net Zero, CBI stated that it used the review to “reiterate the strength of business commitment to net-zero transition” and to “highlight decisive government actions that can enable a private sector-led green transition”.[5] [6]
• CBI held a conference series on “Achieving Net Zero”, which involved businesses and policymakers.[7] [8]

Carbon pricing

• CBI has stated support for carbon pricing and the UK’s Emissions Trading System (ETS).[9] [10]
• In its November 2021 response to the UK government’s Net Zero Strategy, CBI stated that carbon pricing is suited to incentivise the private sector to reduce emissions, for example, by expanding carbon pricing to gas.[11] [12]
• In its 2022 response to the UK government’s Review of Net Zero, CBI stated that the government needs to address the risk of carbon leakage associated with the UK Emissions Trading System, including a carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) and linking the UK ETS to the EU ETS.[13]

Energy efficiency

• CBI has stated that energy efficiency should be designated as a national infrastructure priority and that more ambitious targets for energy efficiency should be set for non-domestic buildings.[14]
• In a 2022 statement about the UK energy cost crisis, CBI stated that the UK government should provide energy efficiency support for the most energy-intensive sectors by expanding the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund.[15]
• In 2022, CBI stated that the UK government should improve the energy efficiency of households and that to achieve its net-zero targets, the UK needs to invest around £5.2 billion every year to 2035 in making households more energy efficient.[16] [17]
• In its 2022 response to the UK government’s Review of Net Zero, CBI stated that the government needs to “incentivise firms to push ahead with ambitious energy efficiency programmes to lower demand”.[18]

Decarbonised hydrogen

• CBI has stated that green hydrogen will play a key role in reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.[19]
• In its 2022 response to the UK government’s Review of Net Zero, CBI stated support for hydrogen.[20]

Natural ecosystems

• CBI has stated that “businesses and government must align the climate and nature challenge as equal, recognising the role of nature in the path to net-zero”.[21]
• In its role as Secretariat of the B20, CBI authored the 2021 B7 Climate & Biodiversity Statement which stated that “reversing biodiversity loss is one of the most effective ways to remove carbon from the atmosphere and store it away permanently.”[22]

Carbon capture and storage

• CBI has stated support for carbon capture and storage (CCS) and policy mechanisms to help deploy it.[23] [24] [25]
• In 2022 CBI Economics and the University of Manchester published a joint report, Capturing the carbon opportunity: Making carbon capture and storage a reality for UK businesses.[26] The report identified a number of areas for action on CCS, including policy changes to stimulate CCS adoption, stimulating stakeholder engagement and improving understanding of the direction of CCS.[27]
• In 2022 speeches, CBI stated that to strengthen the UK’s lead in future markets, there must be investment models for emerging green technology such as CCUS.[28] [29]
• In CBI’s 2022 “How Britain grows again: An economic plan for the UK”, CBI calls for the UK government to legislate the business models for CCUS.[30]

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards and benchmarks, sustainable finance taxonomies

• CBI has stated that it promotes “international convergence in sustainability and reporting standards to scale up ESG investments beyond the UK’s borders, and ensure a smooth and just global transition.”[31]
• CBI has stated support for development of sustainable finance to drive the transition and the development of a UK ‘green’ taxonomy.[32] [33] CBI sits on the UK government’s Green Technical Advisory Group that works towards delivering an effective taxonomy for the UK economy.[34]

Coal

• CBI has stated support for the UK government’s plan to phase out unabated coal by 2024.[35]In its role as Secretariat of the B20, CBI authored the 2021 B7 Climate & Biodiversity Statement that stated the recommendation: “Setting a target to phase out unabated coal in power generation, where feasible by 2040, as a benchmark for policy ambition could be an important signal.”[36]

Electrification with renewable or low-carbon power

• CBI has stated support for increasing electrification with renewables and nuclear energy.[37] [38] [39] [40]
• In its 2022 statement about the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements consultation, CBI stated that it had supported the British Energy Security Strategy and its targets to deliver a net-zero electricity system by 2035.[41]
• In its 2022 “How Britain grows again: An economic plan for the UK”, CBI called on the UK government to cut planning and consenting timescales for offshore wind from four years to one.[42] [43]

Gases and methane

No position

Road transport: Passenger cars and vans

• CBI has stated support for “accelerating the shift to zero emission vehicles”.[44]
• CBI has stated support for the phase-out of internal combustion engines in the UK by 2030.[45]

Road transport: Heavy-duty vehicles

No position

Heavy industry decarbonisation

• In 2022, CBI stated support for decarbonising the Humber, the UK’s largest industrial cluster, which it stated is “essential to achieve net-zero”.[46]
• In 2021, CBI welcomed the UK’s Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy, stating that the “publication of this strategy is only the start for industrial decarbonisation, government must now deliver the actions and targets it has set and provide further clarity for industry in the upcoming consultations and strategies. To achieve its ambition, government must work seamlessly with industry.”[47]

Aviation

• CBI has stated support for the UK government’s Jet Zero strategy and its goal of net-zero aviation by 2050.[48]
• In CBI’s 2022 response to the UK government’s Jet Zero Strategy, CBI stated that the government “must now bring forward a price mechanism for the Sustainable Aviation Fuel. By becoming market makers, the UK could unleash investment in first-of-a-kind projects, stimulate economic growth and deliver on the 10% SAF mandate by 2030.”[49]

Shipping

No position

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