Energy: Carbon Capture and Storage

Lord Clark of Windermere Excerpts

Wednesday 28th July 2010 Lords Chamber

[Lord Marland]

The noble Lord is quite right. Coal is a very important producer of power in this country. That is why our priority on CCS must be coal, because it is a very dirty material—more dirty than gas. I can assure the noble Lord that that will be our primary focus, despite the thoughts of the Committee on Climate Change.

[Lord Clark of Windermere]

My Lords, does the Minister appreciate that trees are nature’s way of capturing carbon? Is he aware that a 4 per cent increase in tree planting in the UK would allow us to capture 10 per cent of our total greenhouse emissions? What plans do the Government have to increase tree planting? I declare an interest as former chair of the Forestry Commission.

[Lord Marland]

I am sure the noble Lord will understand that tree planting is not part of my brief, but he is absolutely right that trees are important in reducing carbon. We should of course always encourage that sort of thing.