§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what are the Government's carbon dioxide emission targets for(a) 2011, (b) 2012, (c) 2014, (d) 2016, (e) 2018 and (f) 2020. [100481]
§ Mr. HillFollowing Kyoto in 1997, the UK has a target to reduce a basket of 6 greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, by 12.5 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2008–12. The Government also have a domestic goal to cut emissions of carbon dioxide by 20 per cent. by 2010. The Kyoto protocol requires international discussions about targets beyond 2012 to begin by 2005 at the latest.
The Government will shortly be publishing a draft UK climate change programme for consultation. The draft programme will recognise that Kyoto is only the start of the process and that greater cuts in emissions will be needed over time. It will therefore set out our policies and measures directed at our current commitments, but also to help prepare the UK for more challenging targets in the future.