§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the Government's progress towards reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 60 per cent. by 2050. [153803]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 11 February 2004]Provisional data for 2002 shows that carbon dioxide emissions decreased by 8.7 per cent. between 1990 and 2002.
The Government aims to cut the UK's carbon dioxide emissions by 60 per cent. by around 2050, with real progress towards this goal by 2020. To put us on course, we estimate that in addition to the cuts from existing policies in the Climate Change Programme we will need to aim for further cuts of 15–25 MtC (million tonnes of carbon) by 2020. As set out in the Energy White Paper, published in February 2003, the key measures to achieve this goal will be to increase the share of renewable energy and reduce energy demand by increasing energy efficiency.
On renewables, the Government's target is for 10 per cent. of UK electricity to be supplied from renewable sources by 2010, with an aspiration to double this share to 20 per cent. by 2020. Though we have started from a low base we are making encouraging progress towards the 2010 target. The Government has also announced its intention to raise the levels of the Renewables Obligation beyond 2010/11. Further yearly targets have been set, reaching 15.4 per cent. in 2015/2016.
On energy efficiency, the Government plans to publish its Energy Efficiency Implementation Plan in the spring, which will set out how it intends to deliver the White Paper commitments.