July 15, 2008 - Not necessarily, according to a new study from Verdantix, a business-research firm. Let the buyer beware of untested offerings and gaps in consulting firms'’ expertise in this still-emerging field.

The sheer variety of consulting services in the climate change field is both a blessing and a curse for buyers, according to David Metcalf, author of the report. "Buyers of climate change business consulting services face a really complex task to select the right provider for their needs," he says.

And the confusion looks likely to increase as more players seek to enter this burgeoning market. Despite a stormy economic forecast, consulting firms say demand for their advice on global carbon markets and renewable energy is up 200% from last year, the report notes.

The report compared environmental services from 16 major consulting firms including Deloitte, KPMG, McKinsey & Company, finding that:

• IT and strategy consultants have a particularly long way to go in overcoming skepticism among prospective buyers.
• Climate change is moving from an environmental issue into an economic issue. Buyers are looking for climate change advice and related financial analysis rolled into one package.
• Carbon management and compliance look to be key investment trends among firms for the next 12 months.

Increasingly, companies in the IT and telecom sectors are also looking for a piece of the action, with both IBM and BT launching climate-consulting services in recent months.

The report Green Quadrant: Climate Change Business Consulting is available for purchase here.