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

DateDescription
08.02.2013Carbon Price Floor
This note summarises the Governmnent plans to introduce a carbon price floor by April 2013
15.01.2013The weather: Social Indicators page
What was the weather like over the past 12 months?
03.01.2013Green Investment Bank
The Government has announced the creation of a Green Investment Bank to stimulate investment in green technologie. This note includes details of its role and its location.
04.12.2012Smart meters
Between now and 2019 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'.
14.11.2012British Summer Time and the Daylight Saving Bill 2010-11
This Standard Note provides an overview of the pros and cons of British Summer Time and the altering of clocks, as well as details of attempts to change clock times in the UK. It discusses the current Daylight Savings Bill 2010-11.

Research Papers

DateDescription
11.01.2012Daylight Saving Bill: Committee Stage Report
This is a report on the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Daylight Saving Bill.
06.09.2011Energy 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.
02.12.2009Climate Change: The Copenhagen Conference
22.10.2008Climate Change Bill [HL]: Committee Stage Report
Climate Change Bill. (Bill 129 of 2007/08) House of Commons Library Research Paper 08/79.
06.06.2008Climate Change Bill [HL]
(Bill 97 of 2007-08)

Select Committee Reports

DateDescription
14.09.2011The 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]
13.07.2011Committee on Climate Change report and accounts for 2010-11.
Committee on Climate Change report [Commons]
22.06.2011The impact of UK overseas aid on environmental protection and climate change adaptation and mitigation....
Environmental Audit Select Committee report [Commons]
27.04.2011Reviews into the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit's e-mails.
Government response. Science and Technology Select Committee report [Commons]
15.02.2011Emissions performance standards.
Government response. Energy and Climate Change Select Committee; Department of Energy and Climate Change report [Commons]

Early Day Motions

DateDescription
25.10.2011MICRO 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 ...
10.10.2011TAIWAN'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 ...
12.05.2011FOURTH 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.
04.05.2011SUSTAINABLE 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 ...
31.03.2011INDEPENDENT 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

DateDescription
15.10.2012Debate 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'.
08.01.2010Debate 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

DateDescription
28.01.2013Reporting Greenhouse Gas Emissions
This POSTnote examines how greenhouse gas inventories are measured, reported and verified.
16.01.2013Residential 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.
25.05.2012Assessing 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.
15.05.2012Bioenergy
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.
16.02.2012Low 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.
03.02.2012Climate 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.

Glossary

  • Research Papers (RP) - briefings produced by the House of Commons Library on Bills, topical issues and regular statistics
  • Standard Notes (SN) - shorter, topical briefings from the Commons Library
  • Early Day Motions (EDMs) - formal motions submitted by MPs in the House of Commons
  • POST Notes - short briefing notes produced by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
  • Lords Library Notes (LLN) - an occasional series of papers compiled by the House of Lords Library