Too many in denial about carbon management, but Australia ahead of the pack

Peter Dinham
Wednesday, 25 March 2009 15:30

IT Industry - Deals

Australian businesses, it seems, are making more rapid progress than their counterparts in other countries, particularly the UK, in planning ahead for the effects of carbon pricing.

A recent Gartner survey of businesses – those with 1,000 or more employees – in 11 countries, found that 28 percent of Australian businesses were fairly well advanced in their planning for carbon pricing, compared with less than eight percent in the UK and significantly higher than the global average of 18.3 percent.

IT professionals responsible for "green IT" programs were interviewed for the survey, with the majority saying they were unsure whether their enterprises were considering carbon pricing.

The survey found that 28 percent planning for carbon pricing in Australia was a considerably higher proportion than the U.K. where fewer than 8 percent are considering it in their plans, and also higher than the global average of 18.3 percent.
 
According to the Gartner report, Australia has made the most rapid progress overall in the implementation of carbon reporting, tracking or management software in the last 15 months, and Gartner expects that to continue during the next 18 months, with a high proportion anticipating having systems in place during the next 18 months. Gartner says this is explained by the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System (NGERS) and Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) legislation.

 Of the IT professionals interviewed, 36 per cent of them who were responsible for green IT programs in enterprises said it was possible, or they didn’t know, if carbon pricing was influencing their organisation’s planning for the next 24 months. A total of 45.7 per cent of respondents said that carbon pricing was not influencing their organisation’s planning, while 18.3 per cent said it was influencing their organisation’s planning over the next two years.

Gartner says the survey results indicate that for most countries, the percentage of enterprises planning ahead for carbon pricing goes beyond those obliged to consider it under established regulations.
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