Asked by: Baroness Worthington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to include international aviation and shipping emissions in the Sixth Carbon Budget, as recommended by the Climate Change Committee in their report The Sixth Carbon Budget, published in December 2020.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have laid legislation for the UK’s sixth carbon budget, proposing a world-leading target, which would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 78% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels. This is in line with the latest science as the level recommended by our expert advisers at the Climate Change Committee (CCC).
We have set the sixth carbon budget to include international aviation and shipping emissions, as recommended by our independent climate advisors, the Climate Change Committee.
We remain fully committed to global action to tackle IAS emissions through international processes at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
Asked by: Baroness Worthington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will set a long-term carbon pricing signal to support the removal of carbon emissions from the atmosphere in the UK.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On the 1st of January 2021, the Government implemented the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) that will be the world’s first net zero carbon cap and trade market. We will consult in due course on how to align the UK ETS cap with an appropriate net zero trajectory, meaning the system will significantly contribute to ensuring the UK meets our commitment to net zero emissions by 2050. The operation of the cap will provide certainty about the decarbonisation trajectory over the long term.
The initial scope of the UK ETS provides continuity with the EU system we have now left, covering emissions from energy intensive industry, aviation and electricity generation. In the Energy White Paper, we committed to exploring expanding the UK ETS to other sectors and will set out our aspirations to continue to lead the world on carbon pricing in the run-up to COP26. This will also include how the UK ETS could incentivise the deployment of greenhouse gas removal technologies.
Asked by: Baroness Worthington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will set a statutory target for the removal of CO2 from the atmosphere in the UK as part of legislation under the Sixth Carbon Budget.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have laid legislation for the UK’s sixth carbon budget, proposing a world-leading target, which would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 78% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels. This is in line with the latest science as the level recommended by our expert advisers at the Climate Change Committee (CCC).
Analysis from the CCC shows that to achieve net zero Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR) methods will be required to balance residual emissions from some of the most difficult to decarbonise sectors. Following the Government’s response to the CCC's 2020 progress report to Parliament, BEIS and HM Treasury launched a Call for evidence on the role of GGRs in delivering net zero, inviting evidence on a range of GGR methods. The Call for Evidence closed on 26 February, and we will publish a summary of responses in due course.
We will bring forward further policies and proposals to meet our carbon budgets in due course, which will consider the role that greenhouse gas removal technologies can play.
Asked by: Baroness Worthington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to develop rules that would enable CO2 removals to be integrated into carbon markets, such as a UK emissions trading system.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government committed in the recent Energy White Paper to exploring expanding the existing UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS), which replaced the UK’s participation in the EU ETS on 1 January 2021, to the two thirds of uncovered emissions, and indicated that we will set out our aspirations to continue to lead the world on carbon pricing in the run up to COP26. This will also include how the UK ETS could incentivise the deployment of greenhouse gas removal technologies.
Asked by: Baroness Worthington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to support innovation in zero emissions in primary industries and manufacturing, and (2) to de-risk investment in demonstration and deployment projects, via (a) government procurement policies, (b) loan guarantees, and (c) tax exemptions.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are committed to supporting both the decarbonisation of UK industry and its competitiveness.
At the 2020 Budget, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the UK Government will at least double the size of the BEIS Energy Innovation Programme to £1billion, focussed on decarbonising UK power, homes and industry to meet the challenge of net zero.
Alongside support for innovation, we have a number of schemes in place to support deployment. This includes the £149 million Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund on Foundation Industries, which aims to transform certain primary and manufacturing industries to make them internationally competitive, secure more jobs throughout the UK and support innovation in zero emissions.
Our £170 million Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge Fund and £315 million Industrial Energy Transformation Fund will help industry deploy low carbon technologies and put energy efficiency measures in place.
Asked by: Baroness Worthington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support innovation in zero emissions in primary industries and manufacturing, including (1) metal recycling and production, (2) ceramics and brick kilns, and (3) fertiliser and chemical production processes.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are committed to supporting both the decarbonisation of UK industry and its competitiveness.
At the 2020 Budget, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the UK Government will at least double the size of the BEIS Energy Innovation Programme to £1billion, focussed on decarbonising UK power, homes and industry to meet the challenge of net zero.
Asked by: Baroness Worthington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for increasing the proportion of electric cars sold by introducing a trading obligation on manufacturers; and what plans they have to publish any such assessment.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In 2019, registrations of battery electric vehicles were at record levels. This was almost double compared to 2018 with nearly 38,000 units sold, overtaking plug-in hybrid electric vehicle registrations for the first time, at nearly 35,000 units.
We are consulting on bringing forward the end to the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2040 to 2035, or earlier if a faster transition appears feasible, as well as including hybrids for the first time. As part of this consultation, we are asking what the accompanying package of support will need to be to enable the transition and minimise the impacts on businesses and consumers across the UK, building on the significant demand and supply side measures already in place. We plan to conclude the consultation this summer. We are also exploring what more needs to be done to reduce carbon emissions from road transport through the Transport Decarbonisation Plan.
In addition, we are investing around £2.5 billion ?in grants to support the purchase of plug-in cars, vans, lorries, buses, taxis, and motorcycles, as well?as providing funding?to support the installation of chargepoint infrastructure at homes,?workplaces,?on residential streets,?and across the wider roads network.