A new report on an energy efficiency reward scheme shows how businesses across multiple industrial sectors are cutting energy usage in order to fight climate change.

The Climate Change Agreements (CCA) scheme, which offers tax benefits to firms which agree to energy efficiency targets, saw a collective reduction in emissions of 6.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent during 2019 and 2020.

This equates to an overall emissions reduction of 13.3% across a total of 8,705 facilities signed up to the scheme, which is administered by the Environment Agency on behalf of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

The EA’s latest biennial report, published online, also shows that, between 2013 and 2020, the CCA scheme has seen total emissions savings of 23.8 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

Sir James Bevan, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, said:

The CCA scheme is encouraging businesses to find ways to reduce their energy usage and consequently their carbon emissions. Innovation is key, and the Environment Agency is here to support that through progressive regulation.

We are already seeing the effects of climate change in the UK, so it is vital that businesses face up to the challenge of adapting to a different climate, thinking about energy use as well as the use of natural resources, such as water, which will become more scarce in the future.

Business and Energy Minister, Lord Callanan, said:

Industry has a critical role to play in helping the UK meet its net zero target by 2050 and today’s report shows the immense progress being made to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions across UK sectors.

With the recent extension made to the Climate Change Agreements (CCA) scheme to support business to decarbonise while remaining competitive, we expect to see results like these continue – as the UK business community demonstrates how both green and growth go hand in hand.

The CCA scheme encourages industry-wide energy reduction, with associated reductions in carbon dioxide emissions, to help the UK’s drive to become net zero by 2050.

Energy efficiency improvement targets within the CCA scheme are agreed between Government and sector associations.

Participating operators that meet their energy efficiency targets receive an agreed reduction in the Climate Change Levy, a tax that is applied to commercial electricity, gas, and solid fuel bills.

During the 2019-20 reporting period, the operators of 1,510 (47.4%) agreements, covering 3,110 facilities, met or exceeded their improvement targets. Operators who failed to meet their targets used any banked emissions savings from previous target periods, and paid a buy-out fee for each outstanding tonne of emissions above the target.

A new DVLA survey reveals that:

• 1 in 6 motorists surveyed name their car – and those aged 35 to 53 most likely to do so
• Disco Dave, Lady Patricia, The Beast and ZZ Top among most unusual names

The quickest and easiest way to tell DVLA you’ve sold a car is by visiting DVLA’s online service on GOV.UK.

Telling DVLA that you’ve sold a vehicle online only takes a few minutes, DVLA’s database updates instantly and customers will also get any refund on vehicle tax quicker.

A recent DVLA survey has revealed that Disco Dave, Lady Patricia, the Beast, and ZZ Top are among the most unusual names that people have given their cars.

The nicknames, which include a mix of unusual and traditional names, were revealed to the agency in its latest motoring survey.

The most popular names the survey’s 2,095 respondents gave their vehicles included Betsy, Pablo, Max, Ruby, and Doris – with Max and Ruby also among the top 50 most popular baby names this year.

While TV and film characters also inspired many motorists, with the Bat Mobile, Betty Boop, Eeyore, Homer, Kermit, Mickey, Olaf, and Snow White also on the list.

Motorists aged 35 to 54 were the most likely to name their vehicles with 27% admitting they had given their motor a moniker, according to the survey. While those aged 16 to 34 were the second most likely to name their cars with just over 26% revealing they’d done so.

Motorists who are planning to sell their beloved vehicles must tell DVLA they are no longer the owner when the vehicle is sold and the quickest and easier way to do this is online.

Julie Lennard, DVLA Chief Executive said:

Whatever you name your car, when it’s time to say goodbye, our online services will always be the fastest, easiest and most convenient way to tell us you’ve sold or transferred a vehicle.

We’re delighted that 98% of customers were satisfied with the service and would use this again.

We’d encourage anyone who is planning on selling their car to let us know online as quickly as possible to ensure the vehicle’s record is updated promptly.

To tell DVLA you’ve sold or transferred a vehicle visit GOV.UK.

Notes to editors:

• the motoring survey included responses from 2,095 motorists
• the survey also showed that 98% of people who use DVLA’s online services would use them again, while 72% felt it was easier and 80% said it was quicker

The Environment Agency has restocked several fisheries in Somerset, the Claverton fishery on the Bristol Avon near Bath, and the River Boyd at Bitton, near Bristol.

Every year, the Environment Agency’s Calverton Fish Farm near Nottingham breeds coarse fish for release into rivers and still waters across England to help boost fish populations.

Fisheries Officers have stocked over 6,000 fish, including 1,500 fish into the River Sheppey near Godney, and 1,100 into Blakespool, a coarse fishery used by Blakespool Angling Club in Bridgwater.

Other sites to receive a festive boost in the run up to Christmas include Crossman Pond near Yatton, Crookwood Lake near Devizes, the River Boyd at Bitton and Claverton on the Bristol Avon near Bath.

The rivers and stillwaters have been stocked with various species including chub, roach, tench, barbel, dace, rudd, bream and crucian carp.

The River Sheppey lost a large number of fish following a pollution incident in 2018 and all other fisheries were stocked to enhance angling.

Liam Timothy, Environment Agency Fisheries Officer, said:

Somerset boasts many angling clubs which is evidence that there is a healthy amount of fish in the county’s waterway. But occasionally a helping hand is needed to restore the natural balance in the wake of an incident or decline.

The work of our National Fish Farm is funded by income from licence fees, so in the lead up to Christmas it’s great to see the fish farm continuing to produce strong and healthy fish needed for re-stocking and recovery.

The restocking is part of an annual programme funded by income from rod licence sales. Restocking occurs in winter because water temperatures are low and this minimises any stress on the fish, giving them the best possible survival rates.

Restocking is done where numbers are low, have been depleted following a pollution incident or to create new fisheries and opportunities for anglers.

Christmas is a good time to introduce the fish into rivers, as it enables them to acclimatise to their new surroundings, ahead of their spawning season in the spring. Fish also play a critical role in sustaining a river’s finely-balanced eco-system, so the wider natural environment will also get a festive boost.

You need a rod fishing licence to fish for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt or eel with a rod and line in England. Get yours from https://www.gov.uk/fishing-licences.

• Mike Freer will highlight the opportunities created for businesses by UK’s new free trade agreements
• Minister will set out his plan to harness UK Export Finance’s £50 billion capacity to stimulate an export revolution
• First UK non-bank lender Newable is accredited to UKEF’s General Export Facility to boost options for small businesses
• UKEF signs new partnership with General Electric to support industries of the future, boosting renewable job growth across the UK

The Minister for Exports will today say that British businesses must harness the opportunities created by the trade deals the UK has signed with 70 countries plus the EU as he sets out his ambition to use UK Export Finance’s (UKEF) £50 billion of finance capacity to stimulate UK trade.

At the 4th annual UK Trade & Export Finance Forum hosted by UKEF, Mike Freer will fire the starting gun on an export revolution powered by the UK’s rejuvenated export credit agency.

This is a vital part of the UK’s new ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ strategy to set the course for an ambitious export target of £1 trillion worth of UK goods sold overseas, seizing the opportunities presented by an expected quadrupling in global trade by 2050.

Minister Freer will say:

There are huge areas of untapped export potential across the UK. One in seven firms with a turnover over £500,000 are not exporting and could be. UKEF is here to help change that.

He will highlight how UKEF has provided vital support to businesses during the pandemic, filling the gaps in private sector provision at a time of seismic shifts in the global economy. He will say that UKEF is now ready to support the economic recovery by helping businesses build back better than ever before.

He will add:

Over the last 18 months, UKEF has been agile and responsive to the needs of the market. The department underwent radical changes and emerged stronger. But it has billions of pounds remaining. I am here to say it can do even more. It is open for business.

The speech will point to the success of the innovations already introduced over the last 2 years to rejuvenate UKEF’s offer and announce:

• £123 million has now been issued to over 60 businesses as part of UKEF’s new General Export Facility (GEF) since March 2021. Minister Freer will announce that Newable has become the first non-bank lender accredited to the scheme, widening UKEF’s reach among UK SMEs.
• The Export Development Guarantee (EDG), which allows UKEF to finance a company’s exporting business, has been transformed to support businesses that don’t export but could be and offers more generous terms to green exporters. Since its 2019 launch, it has supported over £10 billion of commercial loans to UK exporters.
• UKEF has today signed a new Memorandum of Understanding with General Electric (GE). The agreement will commit UKEF to supporting more renewable energy projects with GE, building on contracts in excess of US$3.6BN (£2.7 billion) already delivered since 2015, including financing for Turkey’s largest solar power plant this November.
• A 20% increase to its budget, funded by the premium income UKEF generates for the taxpayer, will fund the expansion of UKEF’s products and its overseas staff to help the department reach net zero and increase its support for green projects.

Further support for renewable businesses

Clean industries already support 410,000 jobs across the country. This number is growing rapidly, with the clean growth sector estimated to be worth up to £170 billion to the UK economy by 2030.

As part of a relentless focus on the industries of the future, delivering on the promises made at COP26, UKEF is making it easier than ever before for UK exporters of clean growth services to access funding.

The Minister will say:

From carbon capture to green hydrogen, and offshore wind to green bonds, the UK is immensely strong. And we must export our expertise to the world. This is why agreements like the one signed today between UKEF and GE are so important. It will harness UK expertise to help build a better world.

The Minister will close by highlighting UKEF’s role in delivering the UK’s new export strategy and the need for greater financial support for exporters.

He will conclude:

We have set an ambitious goal to achieve a trillion pounds’ worth of exports a year by 2030. But behind this headline figure are countless businesses, communities, and people. And vital for delivering for all three, will be an expanded and re-energised UKEF – turbocharging exports and ensuring what is made in the UK is sold to the world.

About UK Export Finance

UK Export Finance is the UK’s export credit agency and a government department, working along-side the Department for International Trade as an integral part of its strategy and operations.

Established in 1919, it exists to ensure that no viable UK export should fail for a lack of finance from the private market. It provides finance and insurance to help exporters win, fulfil and get paid for export contracts.

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