§ Mr. Win GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions in the United Kingdom by the year 2005.
§ Mr. Atkins[holding answer 15 July 1994]: The United Kingdom's climate change programme is based on projections from energy paper 59. These show that in 2005 the underlying trend in emissions may be between about 6 and about 40 million tonnes of carbon—MtC—above the level in 1990. In January, the Government announced a programme of measures designed to fulfil its commitment, under the United Nations framework convention on climate change, of aiming to return greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2000. No targets have been set under the convention for emissions levels beyond 2000 and therefore no programme of measures is in place beyond that date. However, provisional estimates made by my Department indicate that the continuing effect of measures already in place could reduce emissions in 2005 by at least 10 MtC.