Reformation of EU Emissions Trading System Required To Reduce Green House Gases

The House of Lords EU Committee have produced a report calling for an overhaul of the Emissions Trading System (ETS), in order to meet ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG)reduction targets, since it is the main tool of the EU to reduce carbon emissions.

Although the EU ETS underpins UK and EU climate change policy, its effectiveness in delivering its aim (to reduce GHGs) remains unproven. The Committee strongly urges that the System be reformed, despite reservations from various member states. For example Poland have expressed opposition to auctioning of carbon permits, largely due to their heavy dependence on coal burning for power generation.

However the Committee have called for all allowances to be auctioned by 2013, and if exceptions are made to member states it will be on the condition that clean coal technologies are developed and trialed during the transition phase.

Concern has also been expressed over 'carbon leakage' - that is industries producing excessive emissions relocate to countries with less stringent regulations - although these industries are in the minority. The Committee recommended these industries be identified by 2009, but no decision will be made to allocate them 'free emission permits' - that is the freedom to continue polluting - until after the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December 2009.

The Committee identified two risk areas regarding the ETS:

• Industries will not comply with regulations
• The ETS will not be joined up to global trading schemes and will therefore not fulfill their potential

Speaking about the report Lord Sewel, Chairman of the House of Lords EU Sub-Committee on Environment and Agriculture, said:

"Linking the EU ETS to other emissions trading schemes will be essential in order to maximise its environmental performance and minimise its economic costs. Worryingly, the prospects for such links appear to be poor."

"Both the UK and the EU's climate change policy is riding on the success of the ETS, which as yet is far from guaranteed. A timid deal at the summit of EU leaders could produce the worst of all worlds."

The report will be available online shortly after publication at: http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/lords_s_comm_d.cfm

BES Collaboration Praised in the House of Lords

The role of the BES in bringing together policy makers, ecologists and others to discuss topical issues in environmental policy has been highlighted in a response to a parliamentary question in the House of Lords. Lord Dykes (Spokesperson in the Lords - Europe), asked the Government to outline the progress made by the UK Biodiversity Advisory Group (UK BRAG) in investigating empirical ecosystems. In response, Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, Minister of State for Sustainable Development, Climate Change Adaptation and Air Quality at Defra, referenced the joint UK BRAG - BES workshop, held at this year's BES annual meeting, which examined ecosystem services and the ecosystem approach:

" In September 2008, UK BRAG held a joint workshop with the British Ecological Society to look specifically at ecosystem services and the ecosystem approach. The workshop brought environmental researchers together with sociologists and geographers to look at valuing biodiversity in a more holistic and practical way. The proceedings of this workshop will shortly be available on the UK BRAG website."

The BES will also be making the proceedings available online and will announce this on the Blog.

The BES is also involved in further high profile events in 2009, exploring the ecosystem approach, with a three-day stakeholder symposium from 29 April - 1 May. The BES has joined a partnership of organisations; the IOB, CEH and the Science Council, to form the 'Natural Capital Initiative'. The Initiative's website and further information about the symposium will shortly be available: again, this will be highlighted on the Blog.

Read the full transcript of today's discussion in the Lords on 'They Work for You'

Science Committee Criticises Government for Encouraging 'Throw Away' Culture

The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee yesterday published a report criticising the Government for doing too little to encourage recycling amongst businesses. The Committee encourage the Government to amend waste targets, shifting the focus from reducing the weight of domestic waste sent to landfill to addressing commercial and industrial waste. Producers must be encouraged to take responsibility for the amount of waste generated by their products, with financial penalties to encourage greater efforts amongst businesses to reduce this.

The report also calls on the Government to introduce variable VAT rates, reducing VAT on projects which use sustainable raw materials. The Committee also suggest the Government examine the VAT levied on repairs to products, encouraging consumers to repair electronic goods, for example, rather than throwing them away when broken. Electronic goods can often cost as much to repair as the same product would cost to buy anew.

The Committee expressed disappointment that the Government is cutting funding to waste-reduction programmes, such as the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), in 2008/09. Lord O'Neill, Chair of the Sub-Committee on Waste Reduction said: "This sends out entirely the wrong message at a time when reducing commercial waste both for economic and environmental reasons is more important than ever."

The Committee are clear in their recommendation that Government focus must be on waste reduction, as well as re-use and recycling, to provide a long-term framework in which businesses are incentivised to improve the sustainability of their own practices.

Read full report: Waste Reduction (20 August 2008)

Systematics and Taxonomy in Crisis: House of Lords Report

The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee has delivered its report on the current state of systematics and taxonomy in the UK. The Committee argues that systematics and taxonomy research in the UK is in critical decline and that further decline would severely impact on the UK's ability to deliver its conservation aims.

The Committee has criticised the NERC for a lack of clarity over its process for funding taxonomic research; calling for greater funds to be made available to support this area, and also for the Research Councils to better coordinate dialogue between the producers and users of taxonomic research.

Speaking last week (13 August) on the launch of the report, the Committee's Chair, Lord Sutherland of Houndwood said: ""Systematic biology is crucial for many of the Government’s targets on maintaining biodiversity and the protection of endangered species as well as providing an important measure of the effects of climate change. However there seems to be significant confusion within Government over who has responsibility for this vital area."

The Committee has called on the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) to take the lead in supporting systematics and taxonomic research.

The BES responded to the Committee's inquiry, together with the Institute of Biology and Biosciences Federation. Read our response here.

Read full report: Systematics and Taxonomy: Follow-up

Major Restructuring of the CAP Called For

The House of Lords European Union Committee has today called for a major restructuring of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), phasing out farm subsidies from 2014 and diverting the resulting funds into rural development, which currently comprises only one fifth of the CAP spend.

The Committee's report, 'The Future of the Common Agricultural Policy' criticises the current subsidies as acting as a 'proxy for attainment of goals', including environmental goals, which should be targeted directly, nationally or internationally. The proposed restructuring of the CAP will allow broader challenges and opportunities facing Europe's rural areas to be better addressed.

The Committee also says that although the farming industry has much to do to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impact, climate change may offer an opportunity for the farming industry to tap into new funding streams, through the provision of environmental services such as peat soil and flood-risk management.

House of Lords Science Committee Launch Inquiry into Systematics and Taxonomy

The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee has launched a follow-up inquiry focussing on systematic biology research and taxonomy. The call for evidence follows the Committee's 2002 report "What on Earth? The Threat to the Science Underpinning Conservation."

The Committee is seeking detail on progress made since 2002 and how far the recommendations made by the Committee in their original report have been taken up.

Written submissions are required by 4 February 2008.