§ Linda PerhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to reduce CO2 emissions; and what targets she has set in this regard. [80533]
§ Mr. MeacherThe Government has set itself a domestic goal to reduce the UK's carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent, below 1990 levels by 2010. This is in addition to the UK's target under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce emissions of a basket of six greenhouse gases to 12.5 per cent, below 1990 levels by 2008 to 2012.
In November 2000, the Government published the UK climate change programme, which sets out a range of integrated policies and measures to reduce emissions in six broad sectors: the energy supply industry; business; transport; the residential sector, agriculture, forestry and land use; and, the public sector. Key policies in the programme include: the target under the Renewables Obligation that 10 per cent, of licensed electricity supplies will be generated from renewable sources by 2010; climate change levy and climate change agreements; the worlds first economy-wide emissions trading scheme; the voluntary agreements between the European Commission and the European, Japanese and Korean car manufacturers to reduce average carbon dioxide emissions from new cars, supported by changes to vehicle excise duty and company car taxation; and the Energy Efficiency Commitment on energy suppliers to encourage consumers to take up energy saving opportunities.
We estimate that the quantified policies in the programme could help reduce the UK's carbon dioxide emissions by 19 per cent, below 1990 levels by 2010. Carbon savings, which have not been quantified, from additional policies could help us achieve our domestic goal.