Post by Jeni Treehugger on May 6, 2006 18:52:54 GMT
David Adam and Rob Evans
Friday May 5, 2006
The Guardian
Thousands of British companies and organisations could have to restrict the amount of carbon dioxide they emit under radical plans to cut UK pollution put before ministers today. Tesco and the BBC would be among those covered by the new plans, seen by the Guardian.
Firms would be given a CO2 emissions allowance, and would need to buy additional permits if they overshoot.
It is hoped that firms would cut emissions to avoid paying for additional permits and also to save the embarrassment of declaring in their annual reports that they had been polluting too much.
The plans aim to create a domestic carbon market in the UK, mirroring a European scheme that already rations emissions from heavy industry and the power sector. Energy users with electricity bills over £15,000 a year would be forced to join. Officials say the proposals address a blind spot in action to tackle emissions. Companies such as supermarkets are exempt from the European scheme because much of their greenhouse gas pollution comes from their electricity use. The EU trading scheme only includes companies with high direct carbon emissions from on-site activities, such as steelmaking.
The plan was commissioned by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and drawn up by two firms of independent consultants, Nera and Enviros. Published today, it will now be circulated to ministers and will feed into the Department of Trade and Industry's review of energy policies.
The obligatory scheme would require new legislation, making it impossible to introduce before 2009, but a very good step in the right direction.
Friday May 5, 2006
The Guardian
Thousands of British companies and organisations could have to restrict the amount of carbon dioxide they emit under radical plans to cut UK pollution put before ministers today. Tesco and the BBC would be among those covered by the new plans, seen by the Guardian.
Firms would be given a CO2 emissions allowance, and would need to buy additional permits if they overshoot.
It is hoped that firms would cut emissions to avoid paying for additional permits and also to save the embarrassment of declaring in their annual reports that they had been polluting too much.
The plans aim to create a domestic carbon market in the UK, mirroring a European scheme that already rations emissions from heavy industry and the power sector. Energy users with electricity bills over £15,000 a year would be forced to join. Officials say the proposals address a blind spot in action to tackle emissions. Companies such as supermarkets are exempt from the European scheme because much of their greenhouse gas pollution comes from their electricity use. The EU trading scheme only includes companies with high direct carbon emissions from on-site activities, such as steelmaking.
The plan was commissioned by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and drawn up by two firms of independent consultants, Nera and Enviros. Published today, it will now be circulated to ministers and will feed into the Department of Trade and Industry's review of energy policies.
The obligatory scheme would require new legislation, making it impossible to introduce before 2009, but a very good step in the right direction.
