Today the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) published its first ever annual emissions report under the carbon budgets system. In presenting the report to Parliament, Energy and Climate Change Minister Joan Ruddock declared the UK to be on track to meet its carbon targets.
The UK has set a carbon emissions reduction target of 34% by 2020, with a subsequent ambitious target of 80% by 2050, based on UK emission levels in 1990. Under the Climate Change Act the UK has to make annual reports on emission reduction progress and whether it is meeting its carbon budget.
Britain’s baseline year emissions are calculated to be 777.8 MtCO2e. Taking account of the use of carbon units, the net UK carbon account for 2008 came in at 606.7 MtCO2e, resulting in 22% reduction on the calculated base year.
Joan Ruddock commented on the first carbon budget saying that the UK will “more than meet the international commitments [the UK has] made. Today’s emissions score card shows that the UK’s climate change policies are working”. Such policies are being adopted to make the low carbon transition, supporting clean energy technology investment, working on Britain’s housing stock and creating green jobs.
DECC press release