Recommendation 25

Defence is the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases in central government, and the Department realises it must manage its estate in accordance with the government’s sustainability policies. The Department acknowledged the importance of a sustainable estate for achieving its net zero commitments by 2050, and the DEO Portfolio is a key element of its plan through the rationalisation of the estate and the refurbishment or 32 House of Commons Library, The cost of the UK’s strategic nuclear deterrent, March 2021 33 Q 23 and 54; C&AG’s Report, paras 3 and 14 34 Qq 32 and 52; C&AG’s Report, para 14 35 Qq 51, 59 and 61; C&AG’s Report, paras 17 and 3.5 36 Q 58; C&AG’s Report, para 17 14 Optimising the defence estate replacement of dated buildings. However, despite this it has not budgeted for the additional costs of increasing the standard of buildings to net zero, which its early estimates suggest will need extensive investment totalling more than £1 billion.37