§ Mr. BluntTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the(a) schemes and (b) organisations which address climate change to which her Department contributes funding to. [85485]
§ Mr. WilsonThe Department contributes funding to various schemes and organisations that address climate change.
It contributes to the work of the Research Councils on climate change, by funding through the Science Budget, particular programmes and activities run by the National Environment Research Council (NERC), Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
The Department also assists the Tyndall Centre at the University of East Anglia which supports the work in nine research institutions to promote the understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change. The Tyndall Centre is funded by the National Environment Research Council (NERC), Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC); and the 993W Department contributes £210,000 over three years for the development of assistance to business on climate change causes and its consequences.
In addition, the Department contributes funding to support the development of renewable energy and cleaner coal technology, which make a valuable contribution to addressing climate change. Such programmes and organisations include the Renewable Energy and Cleaner Coal R&D programmes, the Renewable Energy Capital Grants Programme, Renewables UK, the Community Renewables Initiative and the Renewable Energy Advice Centres (REACS) through the Energy Saving Trust (EST).