Climate Change and Local Business

Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 (Act) sets a target of an at least 100% reduction in net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 (i.e., net zero emissions by 2050) for Northern Ireland compared to baseline.

Many businesses are now starting to explore and implement strategies to help them on this pathway to net zero.

What is a net zero business?

Becoming a net zero business means that your business activities and your value chain have no net impact on the climate from your greenhouse gas emissions.

To get involved and take action towards becoming a net zero business, you should focus on four main areas:

1. minimising your own emissions
2. reducing emissions in your supply chain
3. integrating climate action into your business strategy
4. working to promote climate action across society

Antrim and Newtownabbey’s Green for Business Programme

Council are committed to supporting local businesses towards achieving net zero and have recently launched a Green for Business programme.

The Green for Business Pilot Programme is a 12-month initiative designed to help small and micro businesses within the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council area take meaningful steps towards reducing their carbon emissions and energy costs. This fully-funded programme, in partnership with CarbonFit, offers expert guidance, cutting-edge tools, and practical strategies to help your business become more sustainable.

This is a FREE decarbonisation support programme and provides: 12 month free access to carbon reporting software; development of a tailored carbon reduction action plan for your business; carbon accounting mentoring and support and a carbon reduction certificate. For more information and to complete and expression of interest for your business please follow this link: https://antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/business/support-for-businesses/green-for-business

Other Sources of Support

• Climate NI

  In October 2023, Climate NI launched a new guide that they developed as a first step to help small and medium sized (SME) businesses understand the impacts of a changing climate and how to report climate-related risks. The guide aims to support businesses to better understand climate-related reporting and simplify the climate related financial disclosure reporting (TCFD) process,  so it is more accessible to a range of business sizes and sectors.

  The guide and links to other relevant sources can be found by following the link: https://climatenorthernireland.org.uk/climate-ni-network/sectors/business

• NI Business Info

  This website provides advice on efficiency and the environment and includes advice on how to reduce business waste, save energy and water, provides example case studies from other NI businesses, and has a dedicated section to carbon emissions and climate change.

  Visit https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/efficiency-and-environment for more information.

• Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful

  Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful provide a range of courses on climate change training for different groups, including businesses. All Carbon Literacy Programmes offered by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful are certified for delivery by the Carbon Literacy Project, an award-winning organisation that has delivered climate-change education across the globe.

  Many of the workshops and programmes are able to be booked as a dedicated session, at a date and time that suits you, and tailored to your organisation, group, or school. To find out which workshop is the right one for you please visit https://www.keepnorthernirelandbeautiful.org/cgi-bin/generic?instanceID=73 for more information and for details of how to book.

• Queen’s University Belfast Skill Up Courses

  QUB are offering free places, funded by the Department of Economy, on a number of courses. These courses have been designed to provide additional upskilling and reskilling opportunities, focused on supporting individuals to engage in learning and improve the skills profile of the local workforce in Northern Ireland.

  There are a range of Green Skills courses, which include a Business Sustainability Essentials Programme and a PgCert in Climate Change.

  For more information on the courses, eligibility criteria and to apply visit https://www.qub.ac.uk/Study/skill-up-flexible-skills-fund