The CBI has commented on the Committee on Climate Change’s recommendation for the Government to re-design the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) energy efficiency scheme.

Dr Neil Bentley, CBI Director for Business Environment, said: “An effective CRC would encourage businesses to cut their energy use, but in reality many firms’ experiences of complying with the scheme have been slow and arduous. It is a sad state of affairs that the current CRC risks distracting organisations from the real goal of energy efficiency.

“We therefore applaud the Committee on Climate Change’s common-sense recommendations such as not introducing a trading element from 2013. But the Government must not wait, and must act now to simplify a system hamstrung by complexity, and enhance the incentive to cut emissions.

Dr Bentley concludes: “A good start would be to guarantee that the league table accurately reflects and rewards best efforts to improve energy efficiency.”