Unreliable Climate Emissions Projections
Inconsistent and unreliable projections for UK aviation emissions reductions, reducing confidence in climate policy planning.
78 items
3 sources
Strongest theme matches
Mixed across source types and ranked by classifier confidence plus text match strength.
Committee recommendation
98match
#6 - Varying projections for UK aviation emissions reductions by 2050 lack reliability
The outputs from the modelling undertaken by the Climate Change Committee, the Government and Sustainable Aviation vary as to the projections of likely emissions reductions from UK aviation by 2050. In some instances these variations are substantial, and tend to reduce overall confidence in the reliability of the projections from each source. (Paragraph 52) Net zero and the...
Matched on
terms: climate, emission, projection
Committee recommendation
90match
#7 - Commission comparative analysis of UK aircraft emissions models with Climate Change Committee.
We recommend that the Government work with the Climate Change Committee and Sustainable Aviation on a comparative analysis of the models underpinning the projections for UK aircraft emissions, so as to reach consensus, as far as possible, on the likely impact of measures to be taken by industry and by Government on levels of emissions from UK aviation...
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terms: climate, emission, projection
Committee recommendation
73match
#38 - Accelerate introduction of policy to reduce embodied carbon in the built environment.
Reducing embodied carbon is vital to decreasing the carbon emissions of the built environment and meeting the UK’s legally binding climate targets. Considering that key milestones for reducing carbon emissions are rapidly approaching, the Government must accelerate the introduction of policy in this area. (Conclusion, Paragraph 140)
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terms: climate, emission
Committee recommendation
73match
#62 - Second Report - Global Britain in demand: UK climate action and international development around COP26
We believe that the current level of ICF is fundamentally over-reported, reducing the credibility of declarations and scope for achieving climate adaptation and resilience. We are calling for full transparency in the reporting of climate finance to enhance the ability of third parties to track funding from start to finish. To reach the UK-backed goal of channelling 70%...
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terms: climate, emission
Committee recommendation
69match
#21 - Concerns raised about CCUS effectiveness and unaddressed methane leakage from LNG supply chains
The Department recognised that there are some “contested views” concerning, for example, the effectiveness of CCUS in reducing emissions from gas–fired power stations.69 We received written evidence suggesting that there are higher levels of methane (a gas with significant greenhouse effects) leakage throughout the supply chain for liquified natural gas (LNG) than previously thought. Given that the UK’s...
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terms: climate, emission
Committee recommendation
66match
#45 - Revised NPPF lacks explicit reference to embodied carbon, limiting emission reduction.
The revised NPPF does not contain explicit reference to embodied carbon, despite a widely held opinion that the NPPF must play a central role in supporting low-carbon housing. This oversight limits the NPPF’s ability to minimise carbon emissions from new buildings and undermines efforts to meet the UK’s emission reduction targets. (Conclusion, Paragraph 152)
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terms: emission
Committee recommendation
65match
#23 - BECCS considered essential for UK decarbonisation, despite reduced projected role by 2050.
Combining power generation using sustainably sourced biomass with carbon capture and storage (CCUS) has the potential to generate ‘negative emissions’–i.e. it could reduce the overall amount of CO2 in the atmosphere.65 Both the government and the Climate Change Committee (CCC), which advises the government on how best to achieve its decarbonisation goals, believe that BECCS will be essential...
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terms: climate, emission
Committee recommendation
65match
#63 - Second Report - Global Britain in demand: UK climate action and international development around COP26
The volume of greenhouse gas emissions has a significant impact on the capacity of LDCs and SIDS to adapt to climate change. On 9 August 2021, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its Sixth Assessment report, which the UN Secretary General referred to as a “a code red for humanity” with the alarm bells “deafening” and...
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terms: climate, emission
Committee recommendation
62match
#22 - New Drax agreement offers limited impact on emissions and lacks BECCS investment incentives.
There are other factors which cast doubt on whether the government has reached a good deal. The new support agreement with Drax reduces the level of allowed supply chain emissions for the fuel it burns, from 55.6 grams of CO2 per megajoule to 36.6 grams.60 While DESNZ said that this is in line with international best practice, historically...
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terms: emission
Committee recommendation
61match
#5 - Second Report - Global Britain in demand: UK climate action and international development around COP26
We believe that the current level of international climate finance is fundamentally over-reported, reducing the credibility of declarations and scope for achieving climate adaptation and resilience. We are calling for full transparency in the reporting of climate finance to enhance the ability of third parties to track funding from start to finish. To reach the UK-backed goal of...
Matched on
terms: climate
Committee recommendation
60match
#10 - Publish in-depth annual review of Defence climate performance and explain reporting discrepancies.
The Ministry of Defence should return to publishing a more in-depth, stand-alone annual review of its climate and sustainability performance, with independent verification of emissions measuring and reporting. It should commission work to better understand total defence carbon emissions. It should also explain the apparent discrepancy in reporting overall emission figures in 2019–20 and again in 2020–21, and...
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terms: climate, emission
Committee recommendation
57match
#22 - No BECCS projects in Track 1 despite importance for unachievable 2030 greenhouse gas removal targets
The original 2030 targets for the CCUS programme, which the government has now told us are unachievable, included a goal for the UK to achieve 5 mtpa of engineered greenhouse gas removals. The bulk of this was expected to be achieved by applying CCUS technology to a biomass energy plant (a process known as BECCS).72 There are no...
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terms: emission
Committee recommendation
55match
#13 - Other Defence organisations lack detailed plans to achieve net zero by 2050.
We note with interest the RAF setting itself a demanding target for reducing carbon emissions—a decade ahead of the Government’s 2050 goal—and look forward to examining the detailed plan for how it will be achieved. The RAF has also set out clear milestones towards achieving its 2040 ambition, aiming for a net zero airbase by 2025 and a...
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terms: climate, emission
Committee recommendation
53match
#4 - Map critical path for BECCS deployment and develop contingency plans for decarbonisation goals.
The deployment of BECCS has been repeatedly delayed, even though it remains a key part of the government’s plans to decarbonise the UK. The Climate Change Committee (CCC) and DESNZ both see BECCS as essential to the UK achieving its decarbonisation goals from Carbon Budget 6 (2033–37) onwards. Government initially planned for the first BECCS plant in the...
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terms: climate
Committee recommendation
53match
#50 - Retrofitting existing buildings offers more sustainable and environmentally friendly housing solutions.
Retrofitting existing buildings is more environmentally friendly and sustainable than demolition and new construction. We accept that not all existing properties can be converted into residential buildings, and do not deny that some new homes do need to be built. However, prioritising the retrofit and regeneration of existing buildings could contribute substantial numbers towards the Government’s 1.5 million...
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terms: emission
Committee recommendation
53match
#60 - Second Report - Global Britain in demand: UK climate action and international development around COP26
Although the UK was rated among the better performers in this report, CARE stated that, like other countries, the data provided by the UK lacked clarity and completeness in terms of the recipients and programmes to be funded.132
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terms: climate
Committee recommendation
53match
#56 - Second Report - Global Britain in demand: UK climate action and international development around COP26
Contributors raised significant concerns around the accuracy of the amount of global international climate finance that is being reported as pledged and disbursed for adaptation by the UK and other donor countries.123 In its report published in January 2021, CARE International wrote that “current official figures for adaptation finance are severely overstated and far too high” with US$2.6...
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terms: climate
Committee recommendation
53match
#55 - Second Report - Global Britain in demand: UK climate action and international development around COP26
In its biennial progress report (December 2020), the Government stated that: Our funding will be new and in addition to our previous £5.8 billion ICF commitment.118 Many contributors criticised this statement for its interpretation of ‘new and additional’.119 The NGOs that wrote to us would prefer climate finance to be in the form of new and additional financial...
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terms: climate
Committee recommendation
53match
#54 - Second Report - Global Britain in demand: UK climate action and international development around COP26
We heard that another challenge was the different interpretation of the term ‘new and additional’. At COP15 in Copenhagen (2009), high-income countries agreed to provide new and additional funding “approaching US$30 billion” for 2010–2012 for climate adaptation and mitigation.116 Although reiterated at subsequent COPs in 2010 and 2015, it remains unclear what is meant by ‘new and additional’...
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terms: climate
Committee recommendation
53match
#53 - Second Report - Global Britain in demand: UK climate action and international development around COP26
In their paper on climate finance, Roberts et al stated that the “US$100 billion per year climate finance promise had deep flaws, making it impossible to now assess whether it has been met.”113 Although the pledge of US$100 billion per year stated that funding would be derived from bilateral, multilateral and alternative sources which could be public or...
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terms: climate
Committee recommendation
53match
#52 - Second Report - Global Britain in demand: UK climate action and international development around COP26
Despite its omnipresence in climate negotiations, there is no officially agreed definition of climate finance.110 In November 2020, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reported that the level of climate finance was US$78.9 billion in 2018.111 Yet, the OECD itself acknowledged that official reporting by higher income countries contains “significant inconsistencies in terms of methodologies, categorisations...
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terms: climate
Committee recommendation
53match
#18 - Integrate Antarctic research and preservation into broader international climate strategies.
To safeguard Antarctica’s environment, it is crucial to integrate Antarctic research and preservation into broader international climate strategies. Rising sea levels, driven by climate change in Antarctica, pose an existential risk to the UK, making it imperative to act now to protect both the Antarctic ecosystem and the UK’s coastlines. (Conclusion, Paragraph 107)
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terms: climate
Committee recommendation
52match
#17 - 8th Report - The Seventh Carbon Budget
The Government should ensure that delivery of the Seventh Carbon Budget is grounded primarily in early, high-confidence emissions reductions where possible. Greenhouse gas removals should be treated as conditional and supplementary, not as substitutes for mitigation. (Recommendation, Paragraph 93)
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terms: emission
Committee recommendation
48match
#61 - Second Report - Global Britain in demand: UK climate action and international development around COP26
The FCDO told us that the UK reported its ICF at programme level—that is, a more granular level—to the UNFCCC, and provided details such as programme codes.133 It also told us that all its programme documentation is held in the Development Tracker, which listed “details of contracts and funding arrangements, financial data and programme descriptions.”134
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terms: climate
PFD report
45match
Mandy Dickerson
System glitches prevented mandatory sepsis template use, hindering timely diagnosis. There was confusion over inter-departmental patient referrals, and critical patient observations were not recorded or conveyed to specialists.
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Committee recommendation
45match
#2 - Estimate cost and test effectiveness of monitoring increased biomass sustainability and Drax's sourcing.
DESNZ has not made clear how its plans to strengthen the sustainability rules might work in practice. In its Biomass Strategy, published in August 2023, DESNZ committed to develop and consult on a common sustainability framework which could be applied to new future biomass policies and schemes across different sectors of the economy. It also committed to considering...
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classifier match
Committee recommendation
45match
#53 - Investigate using the tax system to incentivise carbon footprint reduction in existing properties.
As with the embodied and operational carbon recommendation (Para 138nb mbnj ) we believe that the Government should investigate how it can use the tax system to reduce the tax burden on properties that reduce their carbon footprint and/or increase the tax burden on environmentally regressive properties to create a greater incentive for making retrofitting decisions that reduce...
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Committee recommendation
45match
#52 - Prioritise and incentivise building retrofitting over demolition by strengthening reuse requirements and reducing VAT.
Government should prioritise and incentivise retrofitting over demolition by strengthening requirements to reuse, repurpose and refurbish buildings before any demolition. It is contrary to the Government’s environmental objectives to incentivise carbon-intensive new building over the re-use of existing sites. To encourage the retrofit and repurposing of existing buildings, the VAT on retrofit projects should be reduced from 20%...
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classifier match
Committee recommendation
45match
#51 - Prioritise strengthening policy focus on building retrofit and regeneration due to environmental benefits.
Although retrofit and regeneration of buildings is already encouraged in policy, it is often sidelined. Strengthening focus in this area should be prioritised, considering the range of benefits associated with doing so. (Conclusion, Paragraph 167)
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Committee recommendation
45match
#46 - Update NPPF revision with clearer expectations and conduct consultation on embodied carbon reduction.
The December 2024 revision of the NPPF should be updated to include clearer and stronger expectations on embodied carbon for new developments. The current Government should also honour the promise made by the previous Government and conduct a consultation on how embodied carbon should be measured and reduced in UK buildings, potentially through Building Regulations, without compromising levels...
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Committee recommendation
45match
#44 - Mandate major developers submit whole life carbon assessments for all planning applications.
Major developers should submit whole life carbon assessments as part of planning applications to local authorities; this should be mandatory for all major developments, as defined in the NPPF. The Government should consult on ways to financially incentivise housing development to lower full lifecycle carbon, such as introducing a levy on new build properties containing higher levels of...
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Committee recommendation
44match
#8 - Fourth Report - Flooding
Climate change poses a grave threat to the flood resilience of communities, with the Climate Change Committee warning that warming of 4°C or more implies inevitable increases in flood risk even in the most ambitious adaptation scenarios considered. The Government needs to be frank about the level of risk it is prepared to accept in extreme climate change...
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terms: climate
Committee recommendation
44match
#5 - Fourth Report - Pension stewardship and COP26
Trustees will need detailed and regularly updated guidelines provided by the Pensions Regulator to explain how they should consider the effects of climate change on pension scheme members. We recommend that the Pensions Regulator continuously monitor and update these guidelines.
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terms: climate
Committee recommendation
44match
#16 - 8th Report - The Seventh Carbon Budget
Delivery of the Seventh Carbon Budget relies on nascent technologies and on greenhouse gas removals, including both land-based approaches and engineered removals, some of which face significant uncertainty over scale, cost, and delivery timescales. While these options are necessary for addressing genuinely residual emissions, increasing reliance on them shifts delivery risk towards the later stages of the pathway....
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terms: emission
Committee recommendation
44match
#16 - Limiting global warming to 1.5°C critical for preventing Antarctic ice sheet destabilisation.
Evidence presented during the course of this inquiry highlights the critical importance of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. Achieving this target is essential for preventing further destabilisation of Antarctica’s ice sheets and glaciers, which are already experiencing significant changes due to rising temperatures. Maintaining this limit is key to safeguarding the integrity of the Antarctic environment and mitigating...
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terms: climate
Committee recommendation
43match
#12 - Adopt Science-Based Targets for Defence and develop carbon reduction plans for suppliers.
We welcome the Ministry of Defence’s efforts to expand coverage of carbon emissions, but more needs to be achieved to ensure all Defence emissions are measured. Best commercial practice for promoting emissions reductions and net-zero targets are the Science Based Targets initiatives (SBTi), which can also apply to major suppliers along with carbon reduction plans. The Ministry of...
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terms: emission
Committee recommendation
43match
#11 - Ensure Defence sets more demanding Greening Government Commitments targets for 2025-2030.
The Ministry of Defence is in line to achieve its Greening Government Commitments’ carbon reduction targets early, but these are insufficiently demanding. It appears that the Ministry can meet its targets entirely by taking advantage of the decarbonisation of the National Grid. Targets are hardly stretching if they can be met without any effort, especially for a department...
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terms: emission
Committee recommendation
41match
#19 - 2030 carbon capture and storage targets deemed unachievable by the Department
In the latter part of 2024, the Department successfully concluded negotiations with two of the Track 1 projects. In December 2024, the Department announced it had signed contracts with the first two projects at East Coast Cluster: Net Zero Teesside (a gas–fired power station with 58 C&AG’s Report, para 1.5 and Figure 2 59 C&AG’s Report, para 1.8...
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Committee recommendation
41match
#6 - Set out urgent new carbon capture targets and clarify how to address net zero shortfall
The Department has downgraded its ambitions for the CCUS programme, stating that the original 2030 ambitions are no longer achievable. The current CCUS programme is the government’s third attempt to introduce the technology. Compared with previous attempts, the government is now more reliant on CCUS succeeding as it sees the technology as essential to achieving net zero by...
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Committee recommendation
41match
#49 - Consult by April 2026 on financial incentives for lower embodied carbon products and manufacturing.
The Government could also consider other financial incentives in product areas where the cost differential makes adoption of lower embodied carbon products unattractive and support for manufacturing set up of lower embodied carbon products. We recommend that the Government consult, by April 2026, on what further incentives could shift the dial in this area. (Recommendation, Paragraph 160)
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Committee recommendation
41match
#48 - Introduce eco-labelling for building products to popularise low-carbon materials in housebuilding.
Whilst the Government has taken initial steps to promote timber through the Timber Construction Roadmap, there remains a lack of clear incentives and guidance to encourage the adoption of low-carbon material in housebuilding. The Committee believes the Government should take a more active role in shaping how low carbon materials are popularised. This could be done by providing...
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Committee recommendation
41match
#47 - Alternative building materials effectively reduce embodied carbon and support net zero ambitions.
Alternative building materials, such as timber and hemp, offer practical and effective ways to reduce the embodied carbon of buildings. Their use supports Government ambitions to reach net zero and continue to deliver on their sustainable housing target, in addition to stimulating economic growth through the development of relatively nascent industries. (Conclusion, Paragraph 158)
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Committee recommendation
41match
#43 - Accompany RICS whole life carbon assessment framework amendments with a formal statement.
We would encourage any amendments made to the RICS whole life carbon assessment framework to be accompanied with a formal statement, detailing the amendments and confirming that they have been approved to become part of the UK industry standard. This will ensure clarity for stakeholders and reinforce the updates made using the best available information and research. (Recommendation,...
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Committee recommendation
41match
#42 - Commission a review into Council Tax and Stamp Duty Land Tax for lower embodied carbon homes.
We recommend that the Government commission a review into Council Tax, Stamp Duty Land Tax and any other tax policies to consider the merit of offering lower bands of taxation for homes with lower levels of embodied carbon. (Recommendation, Paragraph 144)
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Committee recommendation
41match
#41 - Review taxation policies to incentivise homeowners, housebuilders, landlords, and tenants towards low-carbon homes.
The Government should consider what other steps it could take to encourage low-carbon approaches to building, including reviewing taxation policies to incentivise home owners, housebuilders, landlords and tenants to favour homes with lower levels of embodied carbon. (Recommendation, Paragraph 143)
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Committee recommendation
41match
#40 - Develop progressively ratcheted carbon targets and set timeframe for mandatory whole-life carbon assessments.
Additionally: a. “We recommend that following the introduction of whole life carbon assessments, the Government should develop progressively ratcheted carbon targets for the built environment, to match the pathway to net zero set out in periodic carbon budgets. These ratcheting targets should be reported on annually, and progress reports towards achieving these targets should be published annually as...
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Committee recommendation
41match
#39 - Establish RICS methodology as the UK industry standard for whole-life carbon assessments.
We reiterate and support the recommendation given by our predecessor Committee on embodied carbon and whole-life carbon assessments: a. “The RICS Professional Statement on whole-life carbon assessments is fit for use and already familiar to UK industry. We recommend that, as soon as possible [ … ], the Government should seek to establish the RICS methodology as the...
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NAO recommendation
35match
Resilience to animal disease
Defra and APHA should, over the next 18 months: d develop a coherent, time-bound strategy and plan that sets out how they will ensure resilience to animal disease within the context of increasing risk from factors such as climate change and antimicrobial resistance; this should specify outcomes for animal disease resilience to support the effective implementation, management and...
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terms: climate
Committee recommendation
32match
#9 - First report - Building to net zero: costing carbon in construction
We recommend that following the introduction of whole-life carbon assessments, the Government should develop progressively ratcheted carbon targets for the built environment, to match the pathway to net zero set out in periodic carbon budgets. These ratcheting targets should be reported on annually, and progress reports towards achieving these targets should be published annually as part of the...
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NAO recommendation
32match
Decarbonising the power sector
In developing arrangements to oversee progress against its plan, DESNZ should: d) review the capability of its modelling to refine and update the most cost-effective system-wide approach to achieving net zero, including power sector decarbonisation. It should consider, for example, the location of new generation, the impact of revisions to market arrangements and the potential role for greater...
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