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  • 21:57 23 Nov 2009
 

Publications and reports

The UK Low Carbon Transition Plan

July 2009 - DECC

A government action plan to convert the United Kingdom into a permanent low carbon and sustainable economy. The plan details how the UK will meet its domestic climate targets – set out in law in the Climate Change Act – to cut emissions by at least 34 per cent by 2020 on 1990 levels.

UK’s Fifth National Communication to the UNFCCC

June 2009 - DECC

The UK’s Fifth National Communication reports in detail the action the UK is taking to fulfil its commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol

Ultra-Low Carbon Vehicles in the UK

May 2009 - HM Government

The only sustainable future for transport lies in a transformative shift to low carbon. The Government has recently committed to placing low carbon vehicles at the centre of its vision for the UK economy.The vision for ultra-low carbon vehicles in the UK will promote infrastructure, support technology development and encourage manufacture in the UK, whilst incentivising consumers.

Low Carbon Industrial Strategy: A Vision

March 2009 - Innovas / HM Government

Low Carbon Industrial Strategy: A vision was launched on 6 March and sets out the scope and ambition of the Government’s plans. Businesses and others with an interest are asked for their input to inform a final Strategy to be published before the summer. The Government's interactive website on low carbon provides an opportunity for stakeholders to engage on how the Government can be a catalyst for low carbon growth and set business on the path to building the low carbon economy.

An outline of the case for a ‘green’ stimulus

March 2009 - Grantham Institute/London School of Economics

This report claims that about US$400 billion should be spent worldwide on ‘green’ policies and investments which also help economic recovery and lay the foundations of sustainable low-carbon growth. According to the researchers, this sum represents about 20 per cent of the US$2 trillion, or 4 per cent of global gross domestic product, that governments might spend in the next 18 months on fiscal stimulus packages to lessen the economic downturn. The report examines the economic case for both fiscal stimulus packages and ‘green’ expenditure. Specific measures and investments are assessed, on a scale from 1 to a maximum 3, in terms of timeliness, long-term social return, positive lock-in effects, domestic multiplier and job creation, targeting areas with slack, and time-limitedness and reversibility.

Summary of Energy Infrastructure and tax Incentives in the US Stimulus Bill

February 2009 - British Embassy Washington

In February the United States launched a major package of incentives aimed at reviving the economy. This summary highlights areas of the bill especially designed to tackle climate change.

Sustainable Energy - Without the Hot Air

Dec 2008 - David MacKay (UIT Cambridge)

David MacKay writes:"The public discussion of energy options tends to be intenselyemotional, polarised, mistrustful, and destructive. There's a lack ofnumeracy in the public discussion of energy. I would like to helppeople have honest and constructive conversations about energy. We needto understand how much energy our modern lifestyles use; we need todecide how much energy we would like to use in the future; and we needto choose where we will get that energy from."

EU Climate and Energy Package

December 2008 - www.europa.eu

The EU adopted an integrated energy and climate change policy in December 2008, including ambitious targets for 2020. It hopes to set Europe on the right track - towards a sustainable future with a low-carbon, energy-efficient economy - by:

  • cutting greenhouse gases by 20% (30% if international agreement is reached)
  • reducing energy consumption by 20% through increased energy efficiency
  • meeting 20% of our energy needs from renewable sources.

The Climate Change Act

November 2008

The Climate Change Bill was introduced into Parliament on 14 November 2007 and became law on 26th November 2008.

The Climate Change Act creates a new approach to managing and responding to climate change in the UK, by setting ambitious, legally binding targets, taking powers to help meet those targets, strengthening the institutional framework, enhancing the UK’s ability to adapt to the impact of climate change, and establishing clear and regular accountability to the UK Parliament and to the devolved legislatures.

Economic Stimulus: The Case for "Green" Infrastructure, Energy Security and "Green" Jobs

November 2008 - DB Advisors, Deutsche Bank Group

With the threat of recession now looming over most of the world’s major economies, can climate change investment play a role in recovery? This paper offers a fresh look at climate change investment opportunities in the context of the credit crisis, energy price volatility, technological innovation and the effect of regulation upon all of these factors. It presents a framework to assess the risks and rewards of climate change investing in the new environment. 

Impacts of Climate Change: Spain

October 2008 - Met Office

A summary of peer-reviewed literature assessing the projected changes in climate in Spain and the impacts of those changes.

A Last Chance for Coal: Making Carbon Capture and Storage a Reality

October 2008 - Green Alliance

In this collection of viewpoints, Green Alliance reveals the growing support for carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a means of tackling the twin challenges of climate change and energy security. CCS technology appears to be ready, but it must be demonstrated urgently at commercial scale if it is to be deployed more widely in the coming decades…

Climate Change: Everyone's Business

Novermber 2007 - Confederation of British Industry (CBI)

Written by chief executives across the business community, the CBI's report Climate change: everyone’s business argued that a much greater sense of urgency is required if the UK is to meet its targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the issue at hand needs  an immediate and direct repose. The report concluded that substantial changes are required in the way the economy works including much higher energy efficiency and a dramatic shift to low-carbon energy sources.

The Economics of Climate Change - The Stern Review

October 2006 - Nicholas Stern/HM Treasury

The Stern Review, published in 2006, focussed on the economics of climate change. The review made a strong economic case for urgent action to reduce greenhouse gases. It estimated that the annual cost of stabilising between 500-550ppm CO2e (around a 2-3 degree temperature rise) would be around 1% of GDP by 2050. This will be 5-20% if emissions go unchecked and temperatures continue to rise.




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