UK government defers emissions decision until 2016

The UK government has chosen to defer a decision on whether aviation and shipping emissions will be included in carbon budgets until 2016, in order to gain ‘more clarity’ regarding international and EU decisions on emissions.

Last month, the European Commission decided to suspend aspects of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme with regard to aviation until progress is made by the ICAO in developing a global aviation agreement.

In a statement released by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Edward Davey said:

“Given the uncertainty of what is happening at the EU and global level in managing aviation emissions, we think it sensible to defer our decision on the inclusion of aviation and shipping emissions in the UK’s carbon budgets.

This government is fully committed to meeting the 2050 target, and this is consistent with the UK’s contribution to the international goal of limiting global temperature rises due to climate change to 2°C”. 

The DECC has taken advice from the Committee on Climate Change on the decision to defer, and will revisit how to account for international aviation and shipping emissions when the fifth carbon budget is set in 2016.

According to the statement, this decision will not impact on the UK’s ability to meet the first four carbon budgets, which have already been set to allow headroom for emissions from international aviation and shipping.

The Government believes that these international sectors should be tackled at the international level and we will work hard with our global partners to support the development of wider international multilateral frameworks.