DEPARTMENT FOR
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS News Release (News Release ref :
206/08) issued by The Government News Network on 2 July 2008
The Department for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is today publishing a
report which identifies the CO2 emissions created by goods and
services imported into the UK.
In an increasingly global economy, imported goods and services
have climate impacts in other countries and the key to reducing
emissions across the international supply chain is knowing the
scale and nature of the problem.
Environment Secretary, Hilary Benn, said:
"If we are going to tackle climate change and create a
strong low carbon economy, emissions must be reduced in the UK and
internationally. That's why we are working to secure a
comprehensive, long-term global climate deal that involves all the
world's major economies, that puts us on track to cut global
emissions in half by 2050.
"Taking imports, exports and international transport into
account, overall CO2 emissions associated with UK consumption of
goods and services increased by nearly 115 mtCO2 (18%) between
1992 and 2004. During the same period, the UK has made real
progress at home. By reducing the carbon intensity of our
production processes and energy generation, our territorial CO2
emissions have fallen by around 5% over the same period.
"Under international climate change agreements, we only have
direct influence over our domestic emissions - and they are, and
will remain, the basis for these commitments - but as we
accelerate the move to a low carbon economy, we must help business
and individuals to understand and reduce the environmental impacts
of the products and services they produce, sell or consume,
wherever in the world they are made."
The main messages from the report are:
* Taking imports, exports and international transport into
account, overall CO2 emissions associated with UK consumption of
goods and services increased by nearly 115 mtCO2 between 1992 and 2004.
* An increasing majority of the emissions embedded in UK imports
are produced in countries outside the OECD (i.e. that region of
the world that includes most of Asia).
* The increase can be explained by trends that have emerged over
the last few decades:
* Some manufacturing has moved from the UK and become established
in countries where manufacturing is more carbon intensive that it
would be here (i.e. more CO2 is emitted per unit of production).
* At the same time as the UK (like many other nations) has
shifted to importing a greater proportion of products from such
countries, there has also been an increase in the overall volume
and diversity of products being consumed.
Mr Benn continued:
"These findings reinforce the need for a global approach to
tackling climate change, based on a carbon market that stimulates
action and investment in clean energy and energy efficiency in all economies.
"It is important that developed economies show leadership,
and developing economies take their fair share of action. Global
trade provides massive benefits for poorer countries and
developing economies. Importing less to the UK and other rich
countries would have dire consequences for developing nations and
it is only by economic growth that developing countries will have
the resources to take action on emissions.
"All of us - government, business and individuals - have an
important role to play in reducing global emissions. Government is
working for a global climate deal and aiming to make the UK a
leading low-carbon economy through the Climate Change Bill, the
first of its kind in the world. Business needs to reduce the
impact of supply chains across the world, not just in the UK. As
consumers we all must reduce the environmental impact of the
things we buy and do by thinking about the environmental impacts
of the products and services we buy."
Next week Defra will publish a Products and Materials Progress
Report which will set out action we are taking to improve the
environmental performance of products and their supply chains, and
stimulate debate about how Government and business can work together.
Notes to editors:
1. "Development of an Embedded Carbon Emissions Indicator: A
research report to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs by the Stockholm Environment Institute and the University
of Sydney" can be found at http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/business/scp/research/themes/theme1/scale0708.htm
2. The UK's CO2 emissions figures are accurate. The UK
reports on its emissions on the same basis as all other countries,
based on UN requirements that have been agreed internationally.
3. To ensure consistency we intend to use the same approach to
measure UK emissions under the Climate Change Bill.
4. Action to reduce CO2 emissions internationally, in addition to
UN and other negotiations, includes:
* Working within the EU to secure an ambitious international
agreement to limit greenhouse gas emissions.
* The UK is working to promote technology and investment
cooperation through a range of initiatives, including: supporting
the World Bank-led Clean Energy Investment Framework for
accelerating and scaling up public, private and carbon finance for
investment in low carbon energy and adaptation; EU-China
initiative to demonstrate near zero emissions from coal in China;
the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership; the
UK-Brazil-Southern Africa Taskforce on Biofuels; the UK-India
Study to Identify the Barriers to Low Carbon Technology Transfer
and the IEA technology platforms and initiatives amongst others.
* Defra is working with the Carbon Trust and British Standards
Institution to develop a recognised standard which enables
businesses to measure the CO2 emissions associated with the whole
lifecycle of their products and services - so they can take action
to reduce them.
* Taking steps to help developing countries respond to climate
change - including working with others to develop the multilateral
Climate Investment Funds, which will support low carbon growth and
climate resilient development. The UK will contribute to these
funds from the £800m international Environment Transformation Fund.
* Publishing a Products and Materials Progress Report next week,
which will set out action we are taking to improve the
environmental performance of products and their supply chains, and
stimulate debate on how government and business can further work together.
* Introducing minimum energy efficiency standards for a number of
products across Europe - which due to the globalised economy will
encourage increased manufacture of more climate-friendly goods
around the world.
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