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Draft Legislative Programme 2007/8

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CLIMATE CHANGE BILL

The purpose of the bill is to:

  • Create a long term legal framework to reduce the UK's carbon dioxide emissions up to 2050 and beyond.

The main benefits of the bill are:

  • To create confidence and certainty for business planning and investment in technology needed to move towards a low carbon economy;
  • To create a more coherent approach to managing and responding to climate change in the UK through setting ambitious targets, creating powers to help achieve them, strengthening the  institutional framework, and establishing clear and regular accountability to Parliament.
  • To demonstrate the UK's international leadership.
     

The main elements of the bill are:

  • Statutory targets to reduce UK carbon dioxide emissions by at least 60% by 2050 and 26-32% by 2020, against a 1990 baseline.
  • Introduction of five-year carbon budgets, requiring the Government to set, through secondary legislation, binding limits on carbon dioxide emissions during five year budget periods, beginning in 2008.  Three carbon budgets (representing 15 years) will always be in force. 
  • Establishment of a statutory advisory NDPB - the Committee on Climate Change - to advise the Government on the pathway to the 2050 target and to advise specifically on:  the level of carbon budgets; the reduction effort needed across the economy; and the optimum balance between domestic action and international trading in carbon allowances.
  • The Committee will report annually to Parliament on the UK's progress towards achieving its targets and budgets and the Government will be required to respond. Every five years, the Committee's report will contain a review of the UK's performance over the last budget period, and the implications of this for keeping on track to meet future targets and budgets. The Bill also allows Parliament to monitor the Government's proposals and policies for integrating adaptation to climate change into its work by establishing regular reporting (at least every 5 years) to Parliament.
  • The Bill contains enabling powers to introduce new trading schemes relating to green house gas emissions through secondary legislation. This increases the policy options which Government could use to stay within budgets and meet emissions targets. 

The Bill would apply to:

  • The United Kingdom. The Government is working closely with the Devolved Administrations on the responsibilities they have in this area.

Related Documents:

  • Draft Climate Change Bill (published on 13 March 2007), Consultation Document and Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment can be found at:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/climatechange-bill/index.htm

Existing Legislation in this area is:

  • None setting a general framework for UK carbon reductions.

Comments:

If you have any comments on the draft programme or individual bill being proposed, you can email them to:

legislation@commonsleader.x.gsi.gov.uk 


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