Frustrated businesses are calling for greater guidance from the Isle of Man Government as they aim to carve out more environmentally friendly futures in the island.

Increased regulation and a more detailed framework were among the ideas put forward to help the Isle of Man achieve its green ambitions by some of the island’s sustainability leaders during recent live debate.

The roundtable event, hosted by the Capital International Group at its offices in Douglas, was organised by the Energy Sustainability Centre (ESC) in partnership with the Isle of Man Marketing and Communications Agency (MMC) and Media Isle of Man.

The session was an opportunity for pioneers driving change in their own contexts to team up with experts for a lengthy conversation about the challenges facing the Isle of Man and work being done to drive the sustainability agenda.

Among those who took part in the discussion were ESC director Ralph Peake, Capital International Group co-founder and chairman Anthony Long, Zurich International’s chief operating officer Mark Cady, Orsted’s Isle of Man development director John Galloway, the Isle of Man’s former senior meteorological officer Adrian Cowin and Manx Wildlife Trust chief executive officer Leigh Morris.

Back in 2022, the Isle of Man Government published its first Climate Change Plan.

Spanning a period of five years, the 38-page document outlines the actions that the government needs to take to keep the island on track to transition to net zero by 2050, a pledge broadly agreed by a total of 197 countries under the 2015 Paris climate agreement in a bid to limit global temperature rises.

The plan outlines the government’s targets for reducing emissions in six policy areas, including energy, transport and agriculture.

But Capital International Group chairman Anthony Long said while there was a real urgency and desire for sustainability changes in the island, not enough ‘joined-up’ thinking was taking place.

‘It's not connected, and it doesn't take full advantage of the opportunity that we have which is such a shame,’ he said.

‘We're all continuing to do the things that we can do to make a difference but it's not making a big enough difference.

‘That’s my concern and I don't know how we solve that.

‘It's government's responsibility to set the stakes in the in the sand and make them assertive, aggressive, and go for it.

‘I think if that was to happen there would be a galvanised aeration around a path that we would allow to get ahead.

‘There is a broad strategy and we're all told that will be we'll be there by 2050 but between now and then it’s kind of down to you guys to do what you want to do.

‘I find it really frustrating that private industry wants to do more and it's left largely on its own.

‘That means it's a very scattered approach to solving the problems, which is a real shame.’

Mr Long highlighted the issue of commuting, Capital International’s ‘single biggest source of emissions’, as an example of where stronger government regulation could move the dial on green change.

‘For us as an organisation 75% of our emissions are in transport and I don't have a strategy for that,’ he said.

‘I can't force people to switch to electrical vehicles, I can encourage it but I can't force it.

‘I don't have the power to do that, but the government does have the power to make a difference.

‘Another big issue for us is waste and waste management.

‘There's massive change that needs to take place regarding the way we manage waste and we're really onto it and excited by it.

‘But we're doing it on our own and that's the bit that I find it still challenging.

‘It's all hard work because there isn't an infrastructure to support it at the moment.’

Creating a more environmentally friendly future for businesses is a challenge that Zurich International’s Mark Cady knows well.

The insurance giant has taken a number of big sustainability steps in recent years - including installing a huge solar panel array at its Isle of Man business park offices which generates up to 70% of the electricity at the site.

However, it hasn’t been an easy journey.

‘We've had to take our own actions in terms of renewable energy,’ said Mark.

‘Generating renewable energy is the simple part, it’s the carbon offsetting that’s more [challenging].

‘For example, you don’t realise how much post you're sending out and the energy involved in getting that piece of post to someone especially if they’re an international business, you had to send something out to Hong Kong, for example.

‘Understanding how the broader carbon pieces [fit together] has been a real journey for us outside of everything that we talk about from an energy perspective.’

‘I think if we can talk about how we can do that as a business, people can start to think about how they do that in their day-to-day life as well.’

But the debate wasn’t about pointing the finger of blame.

Businesses also took a share of the blame as panellists agreed that businesses and organisations could do more to get together and collaborate on sustainability issues.

Mr Long added: ‘I think private businesses are leading the way in many respects, but I think when you when you when you boil it all down, private businesses compete against each other.

‘We're very good at driving in our own direction but we're not very good at coming together as a collective to get something done for the greater good and I think we can do more in that respect.

‘Actually, in the sustainability space, there's nothing to compete against.

‘It's all about trying to create an environment that is that is good for everyone.

‘It's quite unusual for those circumstances to align in business.

‘This is an opportunity for businesses to come together and be much more collaborative.

‘That hasn't happened yet and we can do more to make that happen.’