HC Deb 19 October 1990 vol 177 cc930-1W
Mr. Barry Field

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further studies he has carried out into the contribution of natural nitrous oxide to global warming.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

Three research programmes to quantify emissions of nitrous oxide from both natural and managed land have recently been initiated by the Natural Environment Research Council. The Department of the Environment contributes 50 per cent. to the funding of one project which studies nitrous oxide fluxes from forest soils.

Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research he has instigated to establish the impact of the presence of sulphur dioxide in the atmosphere in respect of global warming.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

Sulphur dioxide is not itself a greenhouse gas and so does not contribute to global warming. However, by contributing to sulphate aerosol formation and possibly increasing the reflectivity of clouds, sulphur dioxide may contribute a slight cooling effect. These issues will be studied as part of the Department's climate prediction programme at the Hadley centre.