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techUK delivers a reformed and refocused environment programme.

This year we will be bringing you a reformed and refocused environment programme. A key emphasis for the coming year will be to more clearly articulate the role of tech in fighting climate change in the UK.

Our Environmental Strategy Council meetings are being reformed. At each meeting we will bring you a wide range of high level speakers from Whitehall, as well as other key stakeholders, to brief and consult members on the issues of the day.

For our first Council meeting on the 29 February, we are delighted to welcome:

• Pete Betts, Director of International Climate Change at DECC, who acted as the UK lead in the EU negotiating team in Paris.
• Matthew Bell, chief executive of the Committee on Climate Change, the government’s independent advisors on meeting and delivering the UK’s Climate Change Act.
• Finally, we will be joined by Defra’s Clare Southworth, who is the UK lead for the negotiations on the recently published Circular Economy Action Plan.

Working groups in the programme have also been redefined. These monitor respond to policy developments in Whitehall and the EU:

• The Waste and Resources Group will focus on circular economy and waste legislation. Membership is restricted to manufacturers/importers of electronics.
• The Energy and Eco Design Group will focus on energy efficiency and greenhouse gas legislation and policy developments relating to eco design.
• The Sustainable Supply Chain Group, previously the Chemicals Focus Group, and will cover emerging supply chain transparency policy, such as the Modern Slavery Act, conflict materials, mandatory CSR reporting and disclosure as well as chemical legislation, such as RoHS and REACH.

If you are interested in hearing more about the groups, or are interested in attending the Environment Strategy Council meeting, please contact Susanne Baker, Susanne.Baker@techUK.org.