Climate change
This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on climate change. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.
Standard Notes
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 01.07.2013 | Zero Carbon Homes |
| This note covers the proposal for zero carbon homes from 2016. | |
| 21.06.2013 | Smart meters |
| Between now and 2020 more than 50 million new 'smart meters' will be rolled out to 30 million homes and smaller businesses in Britain. These are intended to allow consumers to see and adjust in real time what energy they are using. The Public Accounts Committee considers the challenges associated with roll-out 'huge'. | |
| 11.06.2013 | The weather: Social Indicators page |
| What was the weather like over the past 12 months? | |
| 10.06.2013 | Greenhouse gas emissions: Social Indicators page |
| Trends in emissions and assessment of progress on targets | |
| 30.05.2013 | Energy Bill 2013 - update for Report stage |
| The current Energy Bill now has its Report Stage scheduled, for 3 June 2013. This note provides an update to some of the more controversial areas, and to previous Library research briefings on the Bill. |
Research Papers
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 11.01.2012 | Daylight Saving Bill: Committee Stage Report |
| This is a report on the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Daylight Saving Bill. | |
| 06.09.2011 | Energy Bill [HL]: Committee Stage Report |
| This is a report on the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Energy Bill. It complements Library Research Paper 11/36 (Energy Bill) prepared for the Commons Second Reading. | |
| 02.12.2009 | Climate Change: The Copenhagen Conference |
| 22.10.2008 | Climate Change Bill [HL]: Committee Stage Report |
| Climate Change Bill. (Bill 129 of 2007/08) House of Commons Library Research Paper 08/79. | |
| 06.06.2008 | Climate Change Bill [HL] |
| (Bill 97 of 2007-08) |
Select Committee Reports
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 14.09.2011 | The impact of UK overseas aid on environmental protection and climate change adaptation and mitigation.... |
| Government response. Environmental Audit Select Committee; Department for International Development report [Commons] | |
| 13.07.2011 | Committee on Climate Change report and accounts for 2010-11. |
| Committee on Climate Change report [Commons] | |
| 22.06.2011 | The impact of UK overseas aid on environmental protection and climate change adaptation and mitigation.... |
| Environmental Audit Select Committee report [Commons] | |
| 27.04.2011 | Reviews into the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit's e-mails. |
| Government response. Science and Technology Select Committee report [Commons] | |
| 15.02.2011 | Emissions performance standards. |
| Government response. Energy and Climate Change Select Committee; Department of Energy and Climate Change report [Commons] |
Early Day Motions
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 25.10.2011 | MICRO COMBINED HEAT AND POWER |
| That this House notes that micro combined heat and power (mCHP) has the potential for significant reductions to household carbon dioxide emissions and fuel bills; further notes that ... | |
| 10.10.2011 | TAIWAN'S PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANISATION AND UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE |
| That this House supports Taiwan's continued efforts to participate in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation ... | |
| 12.05.2011 | FOURTH CARBON BUDGET |
| That this House calls on the Government to accept a level of 1950 megatons for the Fourth Carbon Budget, as recommended by the Committee on Climate Change. | |
| 04.05.2011 | SUSTAINABLE ENERGY (LOCAL PLANS) BILL |
| That this House believes that it is vitally important to involve local authorities in efforts to combat climate change and promote sustainable energy in their area; notes that the Sustainable ... | |
| 31.03.2011 | INDEPENDENT ADVICE ON CLIMATE CHANGE |
| That this House recalls its decision in 2008 in favour of establishing a Climate Change Act and to accept the views expressed by leaders of all the main political parties in the UK ... |
Lords Library Notes
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 13.06.2013 | Energy Bill (HL Bill 30 of 2013-14) |
| The Energy Bill is intended to establish a framework for delivering secure, affordable and low-carbon energy. This Library Note provides background information for the second reading of the Bill in the House of Lords on 18 June 2013. | |
| 15.10.2012 | Debate on 18 October: Scott Expedition to Antarctica and Scientific Legacy |
| This Library Note provides background reading for the debate to be held on Thursday, 18 October: 'the centenary of the Scott Expedition to Antarctica and of the United Kingdom's enduring scientific legacy and ongoing presence there'. | |
| 08.01.2010 | Debate on 14th January: The Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change. LLN 2010/001 |
| Debate on 14th January: The Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change. This Library Note aims to provide background reading for the debate to be held on Thursday 14th January: 'To call attention to the outcome of the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change' The UN Conference on Climate Change took place in Copenhagen from 7th-19th December 2009. This Note explains the significance of the Conference in the context of previous international agreements on climate change, sets out the major disagreements that marred the negotiating process in Copenhagen and summarises the key elements contained in the final Copenhagen Accord. It considers analysis of the Accord's achievements and shortcomings, and summarises the reactions of key nations and interest groups. |
POST Papers
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 28.01.2013 | Reporting Greenhouse Gas Emissions |
| This POSTnote examines how greenhouse gas inventories are measured, reported and verified. | |
| 16.01.2013 | Residential Heat Pumps |
| Heat pumps capture ambient heat from the air or the ground and transfer it inside a building. They provide an efficient alternative to conventional methods of heating, such as boilers. This POSTnote summarises the use of heat pump technology for residential buildings and the constraints to their uptake in the UK. | |
| 25.05.2012 | Assessing Energy Efficiency |
| This POSTnote examines definitions of energy efficiency, looks at methods to measure and verify achieved energy savings and summarises UK and EU polices to promote energy efficiency. | |
| 15.05.2012 | Bioenergy |
| Bioenergy is the use of renewable natural material for power, heat and liquid fuels. Currently, the UK sources approximately 3% of its primary energy from bioenergy feedstocks. This POSTnote considers the opportunities and challenges of producing bioenergy sustainably to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets. | |
| 16.02.2012 | Low Carbon Technologies for Energy-Intensive Industries |
| Energy-intensive industries such as chemicals, paper, ceramics, cement, iron and steel are responsible for 45% of carbon emissions from businesses and the public sector in the UK. This briefing discusses carbon dioxide (CO2) abatement technologies for these industries and policies to support their adoption. | |
| 03.02.2012 | Climate Variability and Weather |
| Short-term differences from long-term climate, or "climate variability", can increase the risk of damaging extreme weather events. This POSTnote examines the causes of climate variability and the use of global climate models to understand, and predict, these variations. |
