Power Generation

UK Government must take action to meet emissions targets

The UK Coalition Government must take action urgently over the next year to avoid missing the country’s legally binding carbon emissions reduction targets, according to the Committee on Climate Change.

The Committee’s second annual report calls on the Government to reform the electricity market, improve the energy efficiency of homes, encourage the rollout of electric cars and reduce the carbon emissions from farming.

Chief executive of the Committee David Kennedy warned that the country’s falling greenhouse gas emissions were largely down to the recession and lower levels of economic activity rather than increased levels of renewables or efficiency in homes.

In fact, figures from the Department of Energy and Climate Change reported in The Guardian newspaper this week indicate that the proportion of electricity supplied from renewable sources actually fell by 7.5% in the first three months of the year compared with the same period last year – largely because of the dry winter and low wind speeds.

The Committee’s report says a “step change” in the pace of emission reductions is still required if the UK is to meet its targets.

The Government should consider a floor price for carbon to support investment, and needs to take action on coal and gas carbon capture and storage demonstration projects.

More ambitious targets are also needed to reduce emissions from agriculture – and incentives to drive these reductions should be considered, argues the Committee.

But the greatest emphasis comes on consumer activities – to push the adoption of lower carbon, more efficient cars and improve the energy efficiency of homes and buildings.

“We are repeating out call for new policy approaches to drive the required step change, in order that the UK can ensure a low-carbon recovery,” says Committee chair Lord Adair Turner.

The influential Aldersgate Group of businesses, NGOs and MPs is supporting the report. Chair of the Group, Peter Young, commented:

“It is imperative that no-one use the reduced emissions caused by the recent recession as evidence of less urgency to act. Quite the contrary, this is an opportunity to accelerate the transition. The government should seek to set more ambitious targets, specifically by urging the EU to commit to a 30% reduction by 2020.”

For further information:
www.theccc.org.uk/
www.theccc.org.uk/reports/progress-reports/2nd-progress-report

01 July 2010

Back