The Climate Change Bill

Introduction

As you can see from the link above the Climate Change Bill has progressed well though the Commons and some of the personalities taking this forward have changed. However, the general thrust has not.

A big campiagn has taken place to get the government to commit to 80% reduction by 2050. I backed that campiagn from early on. The government had always said they would be advised by their independent scientific advisors. Fortunately they have reported and agree on 80% so this battle is won.

As always campaign groups tick the box and move on to find something else... so now we need to tighten up the Bill in other areas to reach the level of perfection sought by some. As the Bill comes back to the Commons I will look at these arguments again and consider whether to support specific amendments.

Best wishes

Andy Reed MP

October 2008

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This Bill was announced in the Queen's Speech at the State Opening of Paliament in November 2006 and is still in its very early stages. It will make the government’s long-term goal of a 60% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 a legally binding target. In addition it will introduce interim targets, probably at five-year intervals.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

If you have any comments please send them in via the "contact me" section of this site.

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Draft Bill Published - main points

Key points of the draft bill include:

• A series of clear targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions - including making the UK’s targets for a 60% reduction by 2050 and a 26 to 32% reduction by 2020 legally binding.
• A new system of legally binding five year “carbon budgets”, set at least 15 years ahead, to provide clarity on the UK’s pathway towards its key targets and increase the certainty that businesses and individuals need to invest in low-carbon technologies.
• A new statutory body, the Committee on Climate Change, to provide independent expert advice and guidance to Government on achieving its targets and staying within its carbon budgets.
• New powers to enable the Government to more easily implement policies to cut emissions.
• A new system of annual open and transparent reporting to Parliament. The Committee on Climate Change will provide an independent progress report to which the Government must respond. This will ensure the Government is held to account every year on its progress towards each five year carbon budget and the 2020 and 2050 targets.
• A requirement for Government to report at least every five years on current and predicted impacts of climate change and on its proposals and policy for adapting to climate change.

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Why Not Annual Targets?

The Climate Change Bill introduces legally-binding five year “carbon budgets” to provide clarity on the UK’s pathway towards its key targets. One of the major criticisms that has been made by environmental looby groups, among others, is the decision by the government to opt for five-yearly budgets rather than a system of annual targets.

However, there is a clear, environmental case for favouring a system of balancing emissions over a period of five years. This approach allows for flexibility to respond to differences in weather conditions year on year, making the targets easier to achieve and therefore more credible.

Jonathan Porritt, Chairman of the UK Sustainable Development Commission, told the BBC that:

“As the Government’s independent advisers we actually advised the Government that they shouldn’t go for annual targets. We advised them they should go for these five year budgets... Because annual targets are a bit of a sort of macho breast beating thing but they don’t necessarily improve delivery. They don’t improve performance. Things change in a year. Weather changes, energy supply systems change, all sorts of things can go wrong in one year or go right in one year.”

It is not sensible to change policy on the basis of one year’s weather. The government will report progress to Parliament annually, however, the potential distortions of extreme weather in any one year would make binding yearly targets inappropriate.

Gordon Brown said:

“Just as we manage our financial budgets over the economic cycle with prudence and discipline, so we will have to manage our carbon budgets with the same prudence and discipline. Chancellors of the Exchequer will now count the carbon as they currently count the pounds.”

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