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Economic headwinds

It’s no secret that we’re witnessing a difficult time for the economy. Ongoing conflicts, geopolitical tensions and now severe trade restrictions continue to impact growth. While the UK economy grew by a faster than predicted 0.5% in February, a downturn is expected as the impact of Trump’s global tariff war begins to be felt.

At the same time, we’ve seen persistent inflation. The UK’s annual inflation rate, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), was 2.8% in February. While this was down from 3.0% in January, it remains above the Bank of England’s 2% target, and the rate is expected to rise again to 3.7% later this year.

A lot of this boils down to uncertainty – which, in a ‘chicken-and-egg’ loop, both exacerbates and is exacerbated by the precarious state of the economy, as governments, businesses and individuals alike struggle to predict what the future will look like.

Despite this uncertainty, there is something we can be certain about. Stalling on climate will make the economic situation worse.

Climate action remains critical

A new report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the UN Development Programme found that ambitious action to cut greenhouse gas emissions will increase economic growth, predicting a 0.23% increase in global GDP by 2040. It estimates this figure would be even greater in 2050 if factoring in the benefit of avoiding the devastation that not cutting emissions would wreak on the economy; a third of global GDP could be lost this century without decisive action.

It’s not just about economic growth but financial – and civilisation – preservation. At the start of this month, a board member at Allianz SE, one of the world’s biggest insurance companies, said that cutting emissions and lowering temperatures is essential to “saving the conditions under which markets, finance, and civilisation itself can continue to operate.”

So, while, for some, it may feel counterintuitive to push on with climate action strategies in the face of economic uncertainty, it would be counterproductive to security not to. Indeed, commitment to action remains high. A new report from PwC reveals that 84% of businesses are maintaining or even accelerating their decarbonisation efforts.

The gold standard for climate engagement

For over 12 years, Carbon Literacy has been utilised by organisations of all sizes as a low-cost tool to engage their people and turn carbon reduction goals into a reality.

A multi-award-winning initiative, Carbon Literacy has come to be recognised as the ‘gold standard’ for climate engagement; offering individuals and organisations alike a globally recognised accreditation acknowledging genuine commitment to tangible action.

Throughout that time, the price of Carbon Literacy certification has largely remained the same, at just £10 per learner for most organisations. But we now recognise that we have to raise prices across the board to reflect both the value of the accreditation and the economic landscape we find ourselves in, over a decade on.

Prices are rising

From the 1st of July, prices for Carbon Literacy will be rising. The new prices have been carefully considered, and will include…

• Some general price increases
• New pricing tiers – both for the largest and smallest organisations
• Built-in discounts when bulk purchasing certificate applications year-round

… ensuring the same focus and commitment by The Carbon Literacy Project to equity and fairness across our prices and in maintaining accessibility to Carbon Literacy. This means that:

• Smaller organisations may see little to no change
• Most organisations will see some price increases
• The largest organisations will see the most significant price rise

Review our new Pricing Matrices which will come into effect on the 1st July 2025.

Beat the price rises

We want to give you ample time to prepare for these price rises, which is why we are sharing the new price matrix over two months before it will come into effect.

Carbon Literacy certificate applications do not expire, so you can purchase in bulk at current prices now and have a bank to use as and when you certify people throughout the year. You can factor your plans to participate in our Carbon Literacy Action Day in November into this certification bank too.

Other Carbon Literacy services, such as Carbon Literacy Trainer (CLT) or Carbon Literate Organisation (CLO) applications, don’t expire either. So, you can purchase these applications at current prices now and submit your application when you are ready, even if that is after the 1st of July.

We understand that change can come with concerns or questions. If you have any queries about the new price rises, or making a purchase at current prices before the 1st July, please get in touch at [email protected].