UK Environmental Audit Committee inquiry: Sustainability and HM Treasury The cross-departmental Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) recently called for evidence on the role of HM Treasury in relation to sustainable development and environmental protection.

In coordination with the Sandbag Climate Campaign, our letter to the EAC drew attention to four points of concern:

• While improving broad understanding of climate and carbon risk, HM Treasury needs to better recognise its leadership role in Government in tackling these key policy areas.
• HM Treasury’s scope and short-term pressures appear to inhibit its ability to ensure successful alignment between its approach and the longer-term challenges relating to climate change.
• It is important for HM Treasury to recognise the economic and commercial opportunities resulting from the low-carbon transition.
• Improved coordination of a cross-Whitehall approach, with HM Treasury centrally involved, would assist the UK in meeting its national and international commitments.

We wrote that that improved consideration of each of these factors would better assist the government in meeting its own climate commitments and improve national policymaking.