40% of UK firms not aware of details about net zero target: BCC survey

01 Dec '23

2 min read

Pic: Adobe Stock

Insights

Two-fifths of UK firms don't know any details about the country's net zero target, a British Chambers of Commerce survey of mostly SMEs found.
Seven per cent of them are not aware of the target at all. Around a quarter say the postponement of various targets will have a negative impact, while 31 per cent say it will have a positive effect on their business.

Two-fifths of companies in the United Kingdom don’t know any details about the country’s net zero target, a survey of 1,000 businesses, mostly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) revealed.

Seven per cent of them are not aware of the UK government’s target at all, while 33 per cent are aware but know no details. In last year’s survey, 13 per cent were not aware, and 48 per cent had no details.

The survey results were released on the eve of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 28) in Dubai.

There is business uncertainty about the impact of the UK’s net-zero policy changes announced in September. Around a quarter (24 per cent) say the postponement of various targets will have a negative impact, while a third (31 per cent) say the postponement will have a positive effect on their business.

Twenty-four per cent of firms report some form of exposure to severe weather events.

This latest data once again reveals wide divergences between smaller and larger firms in their understanding and preparedness for net zero.

Forty-three per cent of firms with fewer than 10 employees say they don’t know any details about the target compared to 26 per cent of firms with more than 50 employees, a BCC release said.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)

More British Chamber of Commerce News... More Textiles News - United Kingdom...