Environment and Science

Science budget allocations reviewed

In the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR), the Science Budget has increased to £11.24 billion; the increase from 2007-08 to 2010-11 is 17.5%, with a Government commitment to increase the science budget by 2.5% per annum in real terms.

This Report, 'Science Budget Allocations' (HC 215-I), looks at the overall Science Budget, and examines in greater detail the funds allocated to the Science and Technology Facilities Council, the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and the Medical Research Council.

Rapid reduction in domestic carbon emissions needed

The Government plans that the three million more households to be added to the housing stock over the next 12 years will be as carbon-neutral as modern building methods, technologies, and regulation can make them. However, given the UK's challenging target of reducing carbon emissions by 60% by 2050, Government must pay as much attention to reducing the carbon footprint of the existing housing stock as it does to new homes.

This Report, 'Existing Housing and Climate Change' (HC 432-I), examines the challenge faced by the Government in attempting to reduce the carbon footprint of the UK's existing housing stock.

Climate Change Levy 'has had relatively little effect on business emissions'

The Climate Change Levy (CCL) package is the second biggest element in the UK Climate Change Programme. The Government believes that Climate Change Agreements (CCAs) will reduce annual CO2 emissions by an additional 7 million tonnes by 2010. Savings appear to have been significant but were strongly front-end loaded and have eased off since its introduction.

This Report from the Environmental Audit Committee, 'Reducing Carbon Emissions from UK Business: The Role of the Climate Change Levy and Agreements' (HC 354), examines the impact that these initiatives have had on reducing carbon emissions from UK businesses.

Treasury response to Stern Review not made with scale or urgency required

Environmental taxes, as a proportion of all taxation, peaked at 9.7% in 1999 and have declined ever since, falling to 7.3% in 2006.

In this report, 'The 2007 Pre-Budget Report and Comprehensive Spending Review: An Environmental Analysis (HC 149-I)', the Environmental Audit Committee sets out a number of conclusions and recommendations covering different areas of environmental taxation policy.

Economics of climate change policy considered

'Climate Change and the Stern Review: The Implications for Treasury Policy' (HC 231) recommends that the Government give primary consideration to the use of economic tools in combating climate change. The Treasury's policies and action in this regard were the main focus of the inquiry.

Sustainability of biofuels questioned

This Report ‘Are Biofuels Sustainable?’ (HC 76) from the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee examines the role of biofuels in the fight to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Nuclear power stations “have role to play”

This publication, 'Meeting the Energy Challenge - A White Paper on Nuclear Power’ (Cm. 7296), sets out the Government's decision taken in response to the May 2007 consultation paper, 'Meeting the Energy Challenge: A White Paper on Energy’ (Cm. 7124 2006-07).

Environment Agency flood defence criticised

In this Report, ‘Environment Agency: Building and Maintaining River and Coastal Flood Defences in England’ (HC 175), the Committee of Public Accounts examines how well the Agency carries out its role to protect people and properties from the risk of flooding and whether it adequately monitors and maintains the standards of existing flood defence systems.

Work of Carbon Trust reviewed

This Report, ‘The Carbon Trust: Accelerating the Move to a Low Carbon Economy’ (HC 7), focuses on the function of the Carbon Trust and the cost effectiveness of its work.

Government responds to public consultation on climate change

‘Taking Forward the UK Climate Change Bill: The Government Response to Pre-Legislative Scrutiny and Public Consultation’ (Cm. 7225) sets out the Government's response to the public consultation on the 'Draft Climate Change Bill’ (Cm. 7040)

Sustainable transport policy set out

This White Paper, ‘Towards a Sustainable Transport System: Supporting Economic Growth in a Low Carbon World’ (Cm. 7226), examines sustainable transport policy in the light of the Eddington Study and the Stern Report.

Reliance on landfill examined

This Report, ‘Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Reducing the Reliance on Landfill in England’ (HC 212), looks at the issue of landfill in relation to the 1999 EU Directive.

Effectiveness of science centres examined

This Report, ‘The Funding of Science and Discovery Centres’ (HC 903-I), examines the role and effectiveness of science centres, how science centres are co-ordinated and organised, and how they are funded.

Citizen involvement in fighting climate change

In this Report ‘Climate Change: The citizen’s agenda’ (HC 88-I), the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee concludes the Government is not doing enough to help individuals and community groups keen to make an effort to tackle climate change.

Key climate change policies examined

This Report ‘Beyond Stern: From the Climate Change Programme’ (HC 460) is about how the Government sets targets for reductions in UK green house gases, assesses progress by forecasting likely levels of future emissions and revises its policies in the light of experience.

Flood defences in England examined

Around 469,000 households and businesses in England are at risk of flooding with this figure likely to rise in the next century due to factors such as climate change. The Environment Agency is responsible for managing the risk from main rivers and the sea in England and Wales.

Managing radioactive waste safely

'Radioactive Waste Management: An update' (HL 109), a Report from the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, examines the Government's proposals for radioactive waste management following the final recommendations of the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM). (Available to download)

Proposals to reduce landfill waste announced

Each year about 100 million tonnes of waste are generated by UK households, commerce, and industry; it has been estimated that if every country consumed natural resources at this rate, we would need three planets to live on.

Most of this waste ends up in landfill where the biodegradable part generates potent greenhouse gases, while valuable energy is used in extracting and processing new raw materials.

Nuclear power needed to reduce carbon emissions

Energy is essential in almost every aspect of our lives and for the success of the economy.

'Meeting the Energy Challenge: A White Paper on Energy' (Cm. 7124) sets out the Government's international and domestic energy strategy to respond to these changing circumstances addressing the long-term energy challenges and delivering energy policy goals, such as tackling climate change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions and ensuring secure, clean and affordable energy as dependency on imported fuel grows.

Reducing carbon emissions: legislation proposed

This is consultation document ‘Draft Climate Change Bill’ (Cm 7040) presents the draft text of the Climate Change Bill, draft explanatory notes and regulatory impact assessment for pre-legislative scrutiny and public consultation.

New marine legislation required

The UK Government is committed to introducing a new framework for the seas through a Marine Bill. This White Paper ‘A Sea Change: A Marine Bill White Paper’(Cm. 7047) explains why new legislation is required.

1% GDP could stabilise carbon emissions

In this independent report commissioned by the Treasury, ‘The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change’, Sir Nicholas Stern, former chief economist of the World Bank, describes the urgent need for action on climate change.

Examining the likely environmental and economic impacts, the Stern Review highlights the fact that, while it would take around 1% of GDP to stabilise carbon emissions at manageable levels, not acting on climate change could reduce global GDP by up to 1%.

Draft Climate Change Bill examined

The Report from the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee,'Draft Climate Change Bill' (HC 534-I), examines the proposed Climate Change Bill which published in March 2007 as a draft, 'Draft Climate Change Bill' (Cm. 7040).

Government water management response "lacklustre"

The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee criticise the Government for a “lacklustre response” to 'Water Management Report (HL 191-I)' published in June 2006.

This ‘follow-up’ Report states that the Government is not engaging sufficiently with the Committee’s recommendations, which included measures to deal with high levels of unpaid water bills and ways of addressing water affordability for vulnerable groups and those in financial need.

New single fund for health research proposed

The Cooksey Review proposes a structure for funding health research, with the objective of obtaining maximum benefit and eliminating duplication of effort.

The Review found that the UK is at risk of failing to reap the full economic, health and social benefits of public investment in health research, with two key gaps in the translation of health research:

• Translating ideas from basic and clinical research into the development of new products and approaches to treatment of disease and illness
• Implementing those new products and approaches into clinical practice.

Role of bioenergy in reducing carbon emissions

This Report studies aspects of the Government’s climate change agenda and assesses how the UK can best reduce its climate change impact. It examines ways of reducing domestic carbon emissions, including use of alternatives such as biomass for heat and electricity generation, and biofuels for transport and aviation.

Investment in large scientific facilities

Government invests in a range of large scientific facilities to support and develop the nation’s science base. The main components of planning for these facilities are a road map describing large facilities which UK scientists are likely to need in the next 10 to 15 years, and a central fund (the Large Facilities Capital Fund) of around £100 million per year to support investments in such facilities by Research Councils.

Government slow to grasp importance of Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

This Report from the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) assesses the impact of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment on the UK.

The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment was launched by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2001, to provide scientific information to decision-makers and the public on the consequences of ecosystem change.