Monday 5 November 2007

The report says that the government's current target of 60% cuts in CO₂ emissions by 2050 is based on out-dated science and excludes the UK's share of emissions from international aviation.

The research, published ahead of the second reading of the Climate Change Bill, includes emissions from international aviation, and applies environmental safeguards on the use of biofuels and wind energy. It also examines the implications of excluding new nuclear power.

The research uses the same models that were used by the government in the 2007 Energy Review and in Sir Nicholas Stern's review of the economics of climate change. These show that the UK should be able to reduce its emissions by 80% by 2050 by:

• Switching to low-carbon technologies in the electricity sector through investing in wind power, biomass, hydro-electric and other renewables alongside a roll-out of new carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.


• Reducing emissions from the production of heat through a programme of energy efficiency and moving to the use of low-carbon electricity for heating.


• Improvements to surface transport emissions by greatly increased vehicle efficiency and moving towards use of advanced biofuels derived from sustainable sources.


• Significantly constraining the growth in aviation. Without such action, it will be difficult or even impossible for the UK to achieve an 80% emissions reduction.