Environmental Targets (Hansard, 3 November 2003)

§ Mr. Morley

Government's targets and goals include the following:

On climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy efficiency (e, u, a), the UK Climate Change Programme is designed to deliver our Kyoto Protocol target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 12.5 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2008–12, as well as set us on a path towards our domestic goal of a 20 per cent. reduction in carbon emissions by 2010. The Government stated in the Energy White Paper our expectation for more than half the emissions reductions in the Programme to come from energy efficiency. In the White Paper, the Government also accepted the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution's recommendation that the UK should put itself on a path towards a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of some 60 per cent. from current levels by about 2050.

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For renewable energy and wind power use (f, q) the Government's aim is that by 2010, 10 per cent. of the UK's electricity should be supplied from renewable sources and our aspiration is that by 2020, to double renewables' share of electricity from our 2010 target. There are currently no specific targets for particular forms of renewable energy such as wind power.

On fuel poverty (o) the goal of the Government and Devolved Administrations is the eradication of fuel poverty as far as reasonably practicable by 2016–18, and in England and Wales for vulnerable households by 2010. In addition, in England we have a target to reduce fuel poverty among vulnerable households by improving the energy efficiency of 600,000 homes between 2001 and 2004.

For domestic waste management, recycling and landfill (l, r, t) the targets are to recycle or compost 17 per cent. of household waste by 2003–04 and 25 per cent. by 2005–06 and, from the Landfill Directive, by 2010 to reduce biodegradable municipal waste landfilled to 75 percent. of that produced in 1995; by 2013 to 50 per cent. and by 2020 to 35 per cent.

For waste minimisation and incineration (b, k) there are no set targets., but Government policy is to drive waste management up the waste hierarchy; this hierarchy has landfill at the bottom and minimisation at the top.

For packaging (h), current (2002 and 2003) targets are 59 per cent. for recovery and 19 per cent. for material-specific recycling. A consultation on targets for 2004–08 has just closed.

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For the disposal of hazardous waste and industrial waste (j, s), the Waste Strategy 2000 set a target to reduce the amount of industrial and commercial waste sent to landfill to 85 per cent. of the 1998 level by 2005. This target includes hazardous waste.

On end of life vehicles, the End of Life Vehicles Directive has not yet entered into force in the UK. The main targets will be 85 per cent. of all ELVs reused or recovered and 80 per cent. reused or recycled by January 2006, rising to 95 per cent. reused or recovered and 85 per cent. reused or recycled in 2015.

There are currently no targets for fly-tipping (g).

For air quality (d), the Air Quality Strategy sets targets for carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, particles, sulphur dioxide, benzene and 1,3-butadiene.

For water quality (m), the Government has targets that at least 91 per cent. of English rivers achieve their river quality targets by 2005; and that at least 97 per cent. of bathing waters in England meet the mandatory coliform standards in the 2005 bathing season.

For marine pollution (c), the targets for reducing and eliminating marine pollution are generally those set out in the strategies on hazardous substances, radioactive substances and eutrophication agreed in the OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic and relevant EC Directives.

For coastal erosion and flood defence (n, p), targets are to aim, by the encouragement of sustainable defence measures (including timely and effective flood warning systems), to have no loss of life through flooding; and by investing £397 million over the Spending Review period (2003–06), to reduce the risk of flooding to life, to major infrastructure, environment assets and to some 80,000 houses.

On timber procurement (v) the UK Government are committed to, seek to procure products made from timber that has been legally felled and grown in a forest or plantation managed to sustain biodiversity, productivity, vitality and to prevent harm to other ecosystems and indigenous or forest dependent people. Targets for sustainable public procurement will be published in early 2004 as part of the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate.