The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) is calling on the Government to set clear ambitions for the Green Deal, including insulating all homes by 2015, or face reneging on legally-binding emissions levels.In the CCC’s third annual report to Parliament on progress on carbon budgets, published today, it found the Government was off course in meeting them. Carbon budgets place legally binding ceilings on the level of UK emissions over a five year period in order that the UK meet its target of an 80 per cent by 2050.
The CCC report said a "significant acceleration" in the pace in emissions reductions was now required and said putting in place effective incentives like the Green Deal, as well as reforming the electricity market, would be critical in doing this.
Emissions levels
Although emissions in 2010 were within the limits of the first carbon budget, this was due to the impact that the recession had in 2009, which reduced emissions by nine per cent, the CCC report found. In fact emissions increased by three per cent in 2010, due mainly to a cold winter. But even adjusting for this, emissions were broadly flat – three per cent out of what is required to meet the UK first four carbon budgets. A "significant acceleration" in the pace of emissions reductions is therefore required, the Committee said.
"We’ve fallen back [on emissions] in 2010," CCC chief executive David Kennedy toldGreenWise. "That tells us we’ve got a huge challenge going forward. It points to getting incentives right to deliver insulation. We have a high profile scheme to do that, the Green Deal, and you could design it to be very crunchy scheme with strong incentives for energy companies."
Recommendations
The CCC report said a "significant acceleration" in the pace in emissions reductions was now required and said putting in place effective incentives like the Green Deal, as well as reforming the electricity market, would be critical in doing this.
Emissions levels
Although emissions in 2010 were within the limits of the first carbon budget, this was due to the impact that the recession had in 2009, which reduced emissions by nine per cent, the CCC report found. In fact emissions increased by three per cent in 2010, due mainly to a cold winter. But even adjusting for this, emissions were broadly flat – three per cent out of what is required to meet the UK first four carbon budgets. A "significant acceleration" in the pace of emissions reductions is therefore required, the Committee said.
"We’ve fallen back [on emissions] in 2010," CCC chief executive David Kennedy toldGreenWise. "That tells us we’ve got a huge challenge going forward. It points to getting incentives right to deliver insulation. We have a high profile scheme to do that, the Green Deal, and you could design it to be very crunchy scheme with strong incentives for energy companies."
Recommendations
The CCC report recommends the Government use the Green Deal, its flagship scheme, to set tough targets to insulate all lofts and cavity walls by 2015, and two million solid walls by 2020. It says energy companies should be required to deliver these targets or equivalent emissions reductions under the proposed Energy Company Obligation.
"The Government should set a very clear ambition with what it wants to achieve," said Kennedy. "That means insulating all loft and cavity walls."
The report also calls on the Government to set new electricity market arrangements based on long-term contracts with the energy companies in its White Paper, which is due to be published this month.
"In a liberalised electricity market, the market sets the price for electricity and energy companies decide whether to invest and what to invest in. In those circumstances vey little is made into low carbon energy," said Kennedy. "If you set new electricity market arrangements with low carbon long-term contracts you get upfront investment and you will have revenue. It is a win-win situation; it gives [the energy companies] certainty, the risk is lower and financing costs will be lower."
2010 progress
As well as putting forward recommendations for meeting future carbon budgets, the Committee also assessed progress in 2010 across different emissions indicators. It found that while there been good progress in reducing car emissions (a fall on average from 150 gCO2/km in 2009 to 144 gCO2/km in 2010) and in getting people to replace their old inefficient boilers through the 'boiler scrappage scheme’, other areas were lagging.
Areas of underperformance included a slippage in the schedule for demonstrating Carbon Capture and Storage demonstration projects, a 30 per cent drop in the number of insulation jobs carried out, and poor results on eco-driving training.
"The step change that we have previously highlighted has not yet been achieved," said chair of the CCC, Lord Adair Turner. "It is crucial that Government sets out detailed policies to support power sector decarbonisation and energy efficiency in homes and businesses. The successful implementation of these policies will determine our ability to meet carbon budgets."
"The Government should set a very clear ambition with what it wants to achieve," said Kennedy. "That means insulating all loft and cavity walls."
The report also calls on the Government to set new electricity market arrangements based on long-term contracts with the energy companies in its White Paper, which is due to be published this month.
"In a liberalised electricity market, the market sets the price for electricity and energy companies decide whether to invest and what to invest in. In those circumstances vey little is made into low carbon energy," said Kennedy. "If you set new electricity market arrangements with low carbon long-term contracts you get upfront investment and you will have revenue. It is a win-win situation; it gives [the energy companies] certainty, the risk is lower and financing costs will be lower."
2010 progress
As well as putting forward recommendations for meeting future carbon budgets, the Committee also assessed progress in 2010 across different emissions indicators. It found that while there been good progress in reducing car emissions (a fall on average from 150 gCO2/km in 2009 to 144 gCO2/km in 2010) and in getting people to replace their old inefficient boilers through the 'boiler scrappage scheme’, other areas were lagging.
Areas of underperformance included a slippage in the schedule for demonstrating Carbon Capture and Storage demonstration projects, a 30 per cent drop in the number of insulation jobs carried out, and poor results on eco-driving training.
"The step change that we have previously highlighted has not yet been achieved," said chair of the CCC, Lord Adair Turner. "It is crucial that Government sets out detailed policies to support power sector decarbonisation and energy efficiency in homes and businesses. The successful implementation of these policies will determine our ability to meet carbon budgets."
Like this story? Please subscribe to our free weekly e-newsletter at the top of the page for more content like this.
0 comments:
Post a Comment