27 November 2007

A survey at the CBI Annual Conference today has shown that 57% of businesses represented have no plans in place to meet the challenges of climate change.

Robert Napier, Chairman of the Met Office, speaking at the conference urged businesses to prepare for the opportunities and challenges posed by a changing climate. "The Met Office has some of the best weather and climate change science in the world. We can help British business achieve competitive advantage by being at the forefront of both climate change mitigation and adaptation.

"There is of course uncertainty and we have to consider the future of the climate in terms of probabilities. That's where Met Office Consulting can help you and your business understand the real impacts of weather on your business."

Met Office Consulting has been working with the CBI Task Force on Climate Change, producing a report on how business will need to adapt to our changing climate. The majority of the UK energy industry is bucking the trend of the survey and has already commissioned the Met Office to examine the impacts of climate change on their strategy, operations and planning. The Met Office is facilitating a year-long research project 'EP2 - The Impact of Climate Change on the UK Energy Industry' - involving the majority of the UK energy industry.

More about Met Office Consulting

View the CBI Task Force report (PDF, 157 kb)

More about EP2 - The Impact of Climate Change on the UK Energy Industry

Notes

• The snap survey at the CBI conference suggested 25% of businesses did have a climate change plan, 57% did not and 18% didn’t know

For further information:

Met Office Press Office  +44 (0)1392 886655

E-mail: pressoffice@metoffice.gov.uk

Met Office Customer Centre  0870 900 0100

If you're outside the UK  +44 (0)1392 885680