Figures published this month have shown that the UK is on track to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to almost double its target set at Kyoto. The figures, which are the final figures for 2005, show that UK emissions are 15.3% below 1990 levels. When the effect of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme is taken into account, emissions are 18.8% below 1990 levels. The UK's commitment under Kyoto is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5% below 1990 levels, between 2008 and 2012.
Environment Secretary David Miliband said, "With emissions trading, we will almost double our Kyoto target, with an estimated 23.6% reduction in greenhouse gases on 1990 levels by 2010." He went on to say that despite this downward trend, the domestic goal to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20% by 2010 was looking increasingly difficult to achieve. "The 2010 goal was always designed to be stretching. We are making definite progress towards it, and the projected 16.2% reduction is testimony to that. However these figures make it clear that much more needs to be done to cut emissions, which is why the Climate Change Bill will be essential to those efforts."
The Climate Change Bill was first reported in the November 2006 Monthly Bulletin, and aims to see regular targets put in place to cut UK carbon dioxide emissions. No date for its publication is currently available, but it is expected some time in 2007.
