Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that waste incineration contracts do not hinder the delivery of the target to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

We have already made significant progress towards meeting our net zero target. Between 1990 and 2018, our economy has grown by 75% while emissions have decreased by 43% - faster than any other G7 nation. Since 2000, we have decarbonised our economy faster than any other G20 country. We met our first and second carbon budgets that were established under the Climate Change Act 2008, and we are on track to overachieve on the third. Our forthcoming sector strategies, and wider plans to deliver a green economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, will contain further proposals to put us on track to meeting carbon budgets 4 and 5.

In 2018, waste management accounted for 4.6 per cent (20.7 MtCO2e) of total UK GHG emissions, showing significant achievement of a 69% decrease in emissions between 1990 and 2018. The government is seeking to make the UK a world leader in using resources efficiently and reducing the amount of waste we create as a society. Our Resources and Waste Strategy (2018) sets a clear longer-term policy direction in line with our 25 Year Environment Plan.

The detailed terms of waste incineration contracts are a matter for the contracting parties.