UK government to measure carbon in supply chain
London, 28 August: The UK government has begun measuring the greenhouse gas emissions in its supply chains, teaming up with the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), an organisation that is working with the private sector on the same issue.

The Public Sector Supply Chain Project will identify the carbon footprints within each participating public body's supply chain and will lead to “a better understanding of the associated risks and opportunities”, the CDP said.

Among the government organisations collaborating are the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Gloucestershire County Council and the London Borough of Islington.

The information gathered will help participants to formulate strategies to deal with climate change and can help government suppliers to focus on areas within the business where there is potential scope for savings and energy efficiencies, according to the CDP.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband said: “I am pleased that the FCO is leading government in the area of gaining a better understanding of the impacts of its expenditure decisions on carbon emissions throughout the supply chain. Understanding the carbon emissions and policies of our suppliers will help to embed the sustainability agenda within our procurement decision making.”

CDP chief executive Paul Dickinson said: “The public sector has enormous power to shape new markets through its procurement practices and these organisations are showing the way in the development of a low-carbon economy.”

The CDP is a collaboration of 385 institutional investors that each year asks companies to disclose their carbon emissions and climate change strategies. The responses to the sixth CDP request will be published next month.