Renew On Line (UK) 26

Extracts from the May-June 2000 edition of Renew
These extracts only represent about 25% of it

8. UK Policy on Climate Change Confirmed

Despite media speculation that the government was about to abandon its manifesto pledge and dump the 20% reduction target for carbon dioxide emissions, in March the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions published a new draft consultative policy document on Climate Change, with the ‘20% cut by 2010' target retained and confirmed.

Launching the new policy document, John Prescott claimed that the UK could attain an overall reduction (on 1990 levels) of 21.5% in greenhouse gas emission by 2008-2010 - 10% more than the 12.5% reduction agreed as the UK’s share of the EU’s commitment to the Kyoto Protocol. And that should mean that we could also probably reach the tougher UK national goal of a 20% cut in carbon dioxide emissions, compared with 1990 levels, by 2010. As the DETR put it ‘on the basis of policies that can be quantified, the draft programme will deliver a cut of 17.5% in carbon dioxide. Other policies that cannot be quantified at this point, for example, action by local authorities, voluntary action by industry and public awareness campaigns, could deliver the additional savings needed to achieve the 20% goal’.

Prescott commented "We promised to lead the fight against climate change in our manifesto and we are delivering this promise. This programme sets out clearly how the UK can take up the climate change challenge. It is a package of policies and measures that will be good for the environment, good for people and good for the economy.’

He noted that, based on new projections, UK greenhouse emissions are expected to fall to 15% below 1990 levels this year. But he pointed out that without further action they would soon start to rise again, reflecting growth in the economy."We need a radical shake up of the way we use energy and we need to generate energy in new, sustainable ways. We can't go on damaging the environment as we produce goods, we have to develop new technologies.We all have to 'do our bit' to tackle climate change".

The ‘new’ package mostly, in fact, reflects the effect of ongoing policies such as the climate change levy; negotiated agreements with the energy intensive sectors; voluntary agreements with car manufacturers to cut engine emissions; the integrated transport white paper; the renewables obligation on suppliers to deliver 10% of the UK's electricity from renewable sources by 2010; new funding for energy efficiency programmes; and a new target to double the capacity of combined heat and power by 2010.

In addition the package includes proposals for improved energy efficiency in the home, with particular help for the elderly and people on low incomes - starting in 2002, electricity and gas suppliers will have to encourage and help householders to save energy and cut their fuel bills, under new Energy Efficiency Standards of Performance (EESOP). There’s a new DETR consultation paper out on that too: more details in Renew 126.

As for the draft Climate Change Policy, the deadline for comments is June 2nd, with a final policy document emerging later on- ready, presumably, for the COP-6 Climate Change conference in the Hague in November (see later). John Prescott concluded:"It is time we showed that developed countries are serious about cutting emissions. The European Union can and should provide global leadership on climate change. It should set an example by making an early commitment to ratify Kyoto."

He felt that if all went well at the COP-6 "we ought to make a commitment there and then that we will ratify Kyoto as soon as possible, so it can be in force by 2002. And I am determined that,whether or not Kyoto is in force, the UK will meet its emissions target."

For details of the new Policy see http://www.detr.gov.uk

For copies of the report from DETR Free Literature, PO Box No 236, Wetherby S3 7NB, tel: 0870 1226236, fax: 0870 1226 237.