Carbon Literacy Firm Registered at MLC’s Home

A company which is carrying out the government’s Carbon Literacy Training, is registered at the home of a sitting MLC.

Earthscope Limited and the trading name ‘Earthscope Isle of Man’ is listed on Isle of Man Company Registry as being at Mannin Veg, Gansey Point, Port St Mary; the home of Legislative Council Member, Rob Mercer.

The business was incorporated in February 2023.

Mr Mercer, who was elected in 2020, has never made any declaration of his links to this business in the Tynwald Members Interests Register.

Conflicts of Interest

Mr Mercer is the Chairman of Tynwald’s ‘Environment and Infrastructure Policy Review Committee‘, a position which overseas environmental matters, expenditure and policies.

One of the departments that the committee oversees, is DEFA, the department driving the net zero campaign and funding the carbon literacy training.

Earthscope has been delivering the ‘accredited carbon literacy training’ to over 400 civil servants, all paid for with public money provided by DEFA.

So far the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture has paid Earthscope almost £30,000 with the monthly contract being £1,465.00

Glenfaba & Peel MHK, Kate Lord-Brennan had questioned the DEFA Minister over the costs of the scheme in a Tynwald question last month where the costs were revealed.

5% of the public sector workforce have completed the training at a cost of £29,408.25 – if all government staff were to go through the scheme, the bill to the taxpayer would be over £700,000

The training was said to have been so that public bodies can deliver their duties under the Climate Change Act 2021, an act that Mr Mercer was a supporter and signatory of.

Earthscope’s officials are listed as Sarah Mercer and Matthew Warren.

Sarah Mercer told local media that “In the first year, training was provided twice a month and this year it’s been once a month plus online sessions. These will continue until August.”