Policy paper

Greening Government Commitment targets

Published 8 August 2014

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

To reduce our environmental impact, by 2015 the government will:

1. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25%, from a 2009 to 2010 baseline, from the whole estate and business-related transport

This target includes:

(a) Cutting carbon emissions from central government offices by 10% from April 2010 to March 2011 and all ministerial HQs (headquarters) to publish online real time energy use information

(b) Cutting domestic business travel flights by 20% by 2015 from a 2009 to 2010 baseline

2. Reducing the amount of waste we generate by 25% from a 2009 to 2010 baseline

This commitment will be subject to review to ensure that it is sufficiently challenging in light of the structural changes (i.e. reduced staff numbers and building closures) that will follow from the Spending Review. This will include further analysis of the costs and the benefits. The government will also announce its ambitions for diverting waste from landfill following the outcomes of the Waste Policy Review to ensure that the ambition for government’s action on waste is consistent with that set for the household and business sectors.

This target includes:

(a) Cutting our paper use by 10% from April 2011 to March 2012

(b) Government will go to market with a requirement for “closed loop” recycled paper in 2011, subject to approval from the government’s Procurement Executive Board. This measure will be informed by a feasibility study to be completed in 2011.

(c) Ensuring that redundant ICT (Information and communications technology) equipment is re-used (within government, the public sector or wider society) or responsibly recycled

3. Reduce water consumption from a 2009 to 2010 baseline, and report on office water use against best practice benchmarks

For non-office water use, departments will set their own water reduction targets focussing firstly on areas which are subject to water stress.

This target will include:

(a) percentage of offices meeting best / good / poor practice benchmark

• ≥6m³ water consumption per FTE (Full-time equivalent) poor practice
• 4m³ to 6m³ per FTE good practice
• ≤4m³ per FTE best practice

4. Ensure government buys more sustainable and efficient products and engages with its suppliers to understand and reduce the impacts of its supply chain

This target includes:

(a) Embedding the Government Buying Standards in departmental and centralised procurement contracts, within the context of government’s overarching priorities of value for money and streamlining procurement processes

(b) Improving and publishing data on our supply chain impacts, initially focussing on carbon, but also water and waste – setting detailed baselines for reducing these impacts

5. Beyond the targets

Government’s impact and ability to show leadership stretches beyond the headline commitments, for example through the way we promote and conserve biodiversity on our estate, and the standards we set for construction projects. Departments will therefore be open and transparent on the steps they are taking to address the following areas:

5.1 Climate Change Adaptation

Steps taken to adapt the estate to a changing climate

5.2 Biodiversity and Natural Environment

Including action taken to promote, conserve and enhance biodiversity, including use of Biodiversity Action Plans or equivalent and the management of Sites of Special Scientific Interest

5.3 Procurement of food and catering services

Including action taken within the context of overarching priorities of value for money and streamlining procurement, to encourage the procurement of food that meets British or equivalent production standards where this does not lead to an overall increase in costs; and to reduce the environmental impacts of food and catering services and support a healthy balanced diet

5.4 Sustainable Construction

Including the management of construction waste to best practice standards, the application of BRE’s Environmental Assessment Methodology, and the extent to which standards used at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games are being applied / exceeded

5.5 People

Including for example, reporting on social and environmental assessment of office re-locations, and action taken to promote staff wellbeing.

In addition to reporting on actions taken to promote staff wellbeing, staff volunteering is a priority within the work on Big Society, on which the Cabinet Office leads. In future, reporting on numbers of staff volunteering will be incorporated into departmental staff surveys and the data will be shared to inform this reporting process