HC Deb 21 December 1989 vol 164 cc353-4W
Mr. Wray

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list all projects funded by(a) the European Community and (b) Her Majesty's Government regarding global climate changes and all the environmental factors associated with the greenhouse effect.

Mr. Jackson

[holding answer 13 December 1989]: The provision of information in respect of projects funded by both the European Community and Her Majesty's Government is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

Details of work relevant to global climate change undertaken by the research councils are as follows:

Natural Environment Research Council: Application of weather radar to the alleviation of climatic hazards. Development of deep ocean pH instrument. Contribution to the world ocean circulation experiment. Fine resolution Antarctic modelling. Biogeochemical ocean flux study. Automatic submersible development programme. North sea project. Marine laboratories programme. Atmospheric sciences programme. United Kingdom universities global atmospheric modelling programme. Palaeoclimatology. BGS data collection for climatology. Pattern and change in Antarctic physical environment. Geological evolution of west Antarctica. Dynamics of the Antarctica terrestrial and freshwater ecosystem. Structure and dynamics of the South ocean ecosystem. Terrestrial and freshwater science programmes and support of research in universities and higher education institutions.

Agricultural and Food Research Council: The absorbtion or release of carbon dioxide by plants in photosynthesis and respiration and the effects of carbon dioxide on growth, production and development. The fate of nitrogen in plants and soil and the release of gases such as nitrous oxide to the atmosphere. Predictive mathematical modelling of the response of plants and plant communities to the interacting effects of carbon dioxide, light, photoperiod, temperature, desiccation, water logging, pH and nutrition. Effects of temperature of growth and development and the tolerance to extremes. Plant water relations and adaption to water shortage. The effects of changing environmental factors on pests and diseases. A significant part of the AFRC programme, especially in the plants and environment research area, bears on environmental aspects.

Science and Engineering Research Council: The stratospheric and mesospheric sounder (SAMS) instrument for the NASA Nimbus 7 satellite. The improved stratospheric and mesospheric sounder (ISAMS) and the microwave limb sounder (MLS) instruments for the NASA upper atmosphere research satellite. The along track radiometer (ATSR) instrument for the ESA earth resources satellite (ERS-1). The geophysical data facility at the Rutherford Appleton laboratory. A mesosphere-stratosphere-troposphere (MST) radar facility is being constructed by University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, in collaboration with the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. In addition, SERC supports some research on chemical reactions relevant to the atmosphere, on improved combustion processes, on renewable energy sources, on the effects of environmental changes on civil engineering structures, projects on lower atmosphere and climate research and provides supporting computer facilities.

In addition to the specific projects listed, other work of the councils has a relevance to factors associated with the greenhouse effect.