HC Deb 29 January 1993 vol 217 cc869-70W
Mr. Dafis

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action is being undertaken by his Department to secure test baseline data collected by the United Kingdom for the first conference of the parties to the climate convention distinguishing between naturally occurring and anthropogenic changes.

Mr. Maclean

The United Kingdom is making a major contribution to the second assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change which is scheduled to be produced in 1995. This will include the latest information on the extent and impact of naturally occurring and human-induced climate change.

Mr. Dafis

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to make representations to the first conference of the parties to the climate convention to secure the establishment of an independent body of experts under the statutory body for implementation in order to(a) review the implementation of the convention and (b) devise an effective greenhouse gas monitoring regime.

Mr. Maclean

The Government believe that effective procedures for reviewing and monitoring the implementation of the convention are vital. Consideration of the precise mechanisms for achieving this is still at an early stage, but we will be pressing for these matters to be resolved at the first conference of the parties.

Mr. Dafis

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to make representations to the first conference of the parties to the climate convention to secure that a new baseline date is established for collecting information on emission levels.

Mr. Maclean

The framework convention on climate change includes a requirement for all parties to develop and periodically update national inventories of anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, as well as sinks for their removal. Developed countries will be required to take steps aimed at returning emissions of greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by 2000, so 1990 is in effect the initial baseline date for the inventories. The conference of the parties will decide how frequently inventories should be updated in the future.

Mr. Dafis

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make representations to the first conference of the parties to the climate convention to secure that greenhouse gas emissions are categorised according to sector.

Mr. Maclean

In the United Kingdom emissions are already categorised by sector, and we will be encouraging others to adopt a similar approach.

Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy on the EC proposal Com 92 508 final, 14 December 1992 for all EC nations to ratify the climate change convention simultaneously before 30 June; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Maclean

The United Kingdom is committed, with our G7 partners, to seeking to ratify the convention by the end of 1993. We would hope to do so alongside our Community partners, and are currently discussing with them what the earliest practicable date might be.