UK companies face mandatory reporting

April 01 2008

In a major victory for Christian Aid campaigners, all UK-listed companies will now have to make annual reports on their carbon emissions after the government accepted an amendment to the Climate Change Bill.

The government conceded the key Christian Aid demand during the House of Lords debate on the bill last night.

Companies that are listed on the London Stock Exchange will have to comply with the new reporting rules.

Two weeks ago Christian Aid launched a major advertising campaign asking the public to write to Parliament and the Prime Minister on the subject.

Thousands of you did just that: emailing, texting and sending in postcards to Gordon Brown and MPs, adding your voices to the 20,000 who have emailed MPs on the issue since last September.

Paul Brannen, Christian Aid’s head of campaigns, said last night: ‘This move is great news and shows the government finally taking action that was long overdue.

'It would have been impossible to believe the government is taking climate change seriously if it had left declaring emissions up to the whim of company directors. That is the situation at present and it has led to variable, unquantified and non comparable information in this area.

'UK businesses fund up to 15 per cent of carbon emissions around the world. With greater transparency we’ll have much greater clarity on where the corporate responsibility lies to cut those carbon emissions.’

reported on Christian Aid website