On Earth Day, and in response to the Government’s announcement about new climate change commitments, Association for Project Management (APM), the chartered body for the project profession, has issued the following response.

Association for Project Management (APM), the chartered body for the project profession, has welcomed the UK Government’s announcement that it will speed up targets to cut carbon emissions, but advises that investing in the skills that will enable project managers to meet the climate challenge will be an essential part of the process.

New climate change commitments will set the UK on course to cut carbon emissions by 78 per cent from 1990 levels by 2035.

Reacting to the announcement, Sue Kershaw, president of APM, said:

“We welcome the challenge the new deadline sets for the protection of the environment. However, we hope the government will recognise that these targets must be backed by serious investment in essential training and skills development for project professionals if these targets are to be achieved.

“Laws don’t deliver projects, people do. For every goal and commitment there will be countless projects and professionals needed to deliver across many different industries. Only with significant investment and focus on project skillsets will we be able to support the proper inception, delivery and completion of these projects that will help deliver these ambitious goals and timelines for the environment.

“As the only chartered body for the project profession in the world, we fully acknowledge the importance of project skills in delivering global solutions to the climate crisis. To support this, we are creating more content than ever that emphasises the importance of making sustainability and environmental focus a core part of projects and their deliverables.”