§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made with reducing the UK's carbon dioxide emissions in the last five years. [68187]
§ Mr. MeacherThe table shows the UK's carbon dioxide emissions over the five year period of 1996–2000 (2000 being the last year for which confirmed figures are available). During this period the UK's carbon dioxide emissions fell from 159.1 million tonnes of carbon to 152.1 million tonnes of carbon, a reduction of 4.4 per cent. The rise in emissions between 1999 and 2000 were mainly due to an increased use of coal in the energy mix, because of maintenance and repair at nuclear and combined cycle gas turbine stations and higher gas prices at the end of the year.
Emissions of carbon dioxide (as million tonnes of carbon) Percentage change from previous year 1996 159.1 — 1997 152.5 -4.1 1998 153.2 +0.5 1999 150.8 -1.6 2000 152.1 +0.9