environmental

Question 1

businesses and the environment :

Answer 1

the environment has become an increasingly important consideration for businesses

they have to consider how they impact upon the environment and seek to minimise this

the environment is a global issue

Question 2

what ethical and environmental responsibility do businesses hold ?

Answer 2

to produce ‘greener’ products
- this has led to the move towards electric cars and other energy saving devices

Question 3

why have a range of green taxes been introduced ?

Answer 3

designed to encourage businesses to improve their environmental practices

Question 4

impact of environmental taxes ?

Answer 4

means that businesses face energy costs that are on average 15-21% higher as a result of environmental policies

businesses often argue that such costs harm their ability to compete with businesses based in less developed economies where environmental regulation is not imposed

Question 5

how has the government intervened ?

Answer 5

UK government has signed up to a range of EU initiatives aimed at restricting the negative impact of business activity

Question 6

why was the landfill tax introduced ?

Answer 6

encourages efforts to minimise the amount of waste produced and the use of non-landfill waste options

• recycling
• composting

landfill has dropped by around 70%
recycling has increased to around 40%

Question 7

what is a pressure group ?

Answer 7

a group that tries to influence public policy in the interest of a particular cause

can challenge and even change the behaviour of a business or government

Question 8

examples of pressure groups ?

Answer 8

protests, campaigns, attract media interest, lobbying mps