§ Gregory BarkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her most recent estimate is of annual emissions of carbon dioxide in the UK; and what the level was in 1997. [77461]
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§ Mr. MeacherThe UK's carbon dioxide emissions in 2000, the last year for which confirmed data are available, were 152.1 million tonnes of carbon, compared to 152.5 million tonnes of carbon in 1997. A provisional estimate of carbon dioxide emissions for 2001, based on energy use, was published by the Department for Trade and Industry in March in its "Energy Trends" publication. This estimated that carbon dioxide emissions were 154.4 million tonnes of carbon, approximately 6 per cent. below the UK's 1990 baseline emissions of 164.4 million tonnes of carbon.
§ Gregory BarkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what future reductions in CO2 emissions are expected by 2010 as a result of Government policy in (a) the domestic sector, (b) transport, (c) industrial sector, (d) the tertiary sector, (e) the public sector and (f) other changes. [77463]
§ Mr. MeacherThe Government have estimated that the additional policies and measures in the UK climate change programme, published in November 2000, could by 2010 reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the domestic sector by at least 7.8 million tonnes of carbon; in the transport sector by 5.7 million tonnes of carbon; in the business sector, which includes both the industry and commerce, by at least 4.5 million tonnes of carbon; and in the public sector by at least 0.5 million tonnes of carbon. Other policies, which includes afforestation and those policies that cut across sectors, could achieve further savings of 2.6 million tonnes of carbon.
§ Gregory BarkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will commission an independent analysis of the likelihood of current Government policies being able to deliver a 20 per cent. cut in CO2 by 2010; and if she will make a statement. [77467]
§ Mr. MeacherIt is estimated that the quantified policies and measures identified in the climate change programme could lead to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of 19 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2010. Carbon savings, which have not been quantified, from additional policies in the programme, could help us achieve our domestic goal. There will be a formal review of the climate change programme in 2004, which will be an opportunity to assess the effectiveness of existing policies and, if necessary, to develop new ones.
§ Gregory BarkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what her assessment is of the change in carbon dioxide emissions that will result from households switching to digital television and the use of set-top boxes; [77475]
(2) what progress has been made (a) on the Government sustainability index on climate change and (b) towards the Government's domestic target for a 20 per cent. reduction in CO2 emissions based on 1990 levels; and if she will make a statement. [77462]
§ Mr. Meacher(a) The latest figures for the Headline Sustainable Development Indicator for Climate Change were published in a Defra Statistical Press Release on 28 March. Emissions of the 'basket' of six greenhouse gases covered by the Kyoto Protocol, weighted by global warming potential, fell by 13.2 per cent. between the 1990 base year and 2000, the last year for which 702W confirmed data are available. There was no change between 1999 and 2000. The UK has a target under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2008–12. We remain on course to achieve this target.
(b) A provisional estimate of carbon dioxide emissions for 2001, based on energy use, was published by the Department for Trade and Industry in March in its Energy Trends publication. This estimated that carbon dioxide emissions were 154.4 million tonnes of carbon, approximately 6 per cent. below the UK's 1990 baseline emissions of 164.4 million tonnes of carbon.