§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to allow the carbon sink capacities of agricultural crops to be incorporated into emissions trading schemes. [155665]
656W
§ Mr. MorleyThe Department recognises the important benefits of agricultural crops acting as carbon sinks and removing a significant greenhouse gas from the atmosphere. The inclusion of sinks in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme via Joint Implementation and Clean Development Mechanism projects (Kyoto Protocol mechanisms) is currently under discussion at EU level where the UK supports their inclusion.
The UK Emissions Trading Scheme includes direct emissions of greenhouse gases from installations and indirect emissions associates with electricity use. There is no provision for carbon sinks projects in the Scheme. The Scheme will be reviewed once final agreement has been reached on the inclusion of credits from Joint Implementation and Clean Development Mechanism in the EU Scheme.