Ministers accused of backsliding on carbon targets

Renewables use and recycling drop in government departments as MPs warn taxpayer may face cost of meeting targets
Andrew Sparrow
The Guardian, Wednesday 5 August 2009

MPs accused ministers today of "backsliding" on the government's commitment to cut its own carbon emissions, noting that departments have reduced the amount of energy they get from renewable sources.
The environmental audit committee (EAC) also warned that the taxpayer may end up having to foot the bill for purchasing carbon credits from the private sector if it fails to meet its own target of a 12.5% reduction in carbon emissions by 2012. It also criticised Whitehall for reducing the amount of waste it recycles, and suggested that the government could end up having to buy carbon credits from the private sector because of its slow progress in tackling its own emissions.
The EAC report, Greening Government, looked at the environmental aspects of how departments manage their buildings and run their operations in the year 2007-8. Departments have carbon targets but the committee's report said these needed to be more ambitious.
In a separate report, the government advisory body, the Sustainable Development Commission said the government made "good progress" in relation to renewable energy and recycling in 2007-8.
But the MPs said the phrase "good progress" was misleading because Whitehall was going backwards on renewable energy and recycling.
Around 22% of electricity used by government departments was produced from renewable sources in 2007-08. But the year before it was 28%.
And Whitehall departments achieved a recycling rate of 35% in 2007-08. But the previous year it was over 38%.
MPs were particularly critical of the revelation that Whitehall is not on track to hit its target for the reduction of carbon emissions from offices.
There were improvements in some areas, such as on government road vehicles, where emissions have been cut by 10.3%. But carbon dioxide emissions from offices — by far the largest source of emissions on the government estate — have only been reduced by 6.3% since the baseline year of 1999-2000. The proportion of renewable energy used by Government dropped from 28.3% in 2006-2007 to 22% in 2007-2008. And recycling rates dipped from 38.5% in 2006-2007 to 35% in 2007-2008.
Whitehall departments have signed up to the carbon reduction commitment (CRC), an emissions trading scheme involving large public and private sector organisations that will come into force in April 2010.
Organisations that do not hit their carbon targets will have to buy carbon credits and the MPs said there was a risk that the taxpayer could end up paying because of the failure of government departments to meet their obligations.
The MPs also said they "deplored" the failure of many executive agencies to publish annual information about their green performance, even though this was a requirement.
Tim Yeo, the Tory MP who chairs the committee, said last night: "Unless the government gets its house in order, taxpayers could end up paying a heavy price to buy carbon credits from the private sector.
"In too many areas, like emissions of carbon dioxide from offices, it has made little or no progress, and in others it is backsliding.
"Cutting government energy bills with better insulation, solar panels and new heat and power boilers could save us lots of money in the long run. But ministers have so far lacked the vision to invest for the future."
A spokesman from the Office of Goverment Commerce, which is responsible for the government's estate, said: "There is no evidence to suggest the taxpayer will incur additional tax burdens through departmental involvement in the CRC programme. Departments continue to perform well against their sustainability targets and have the potential to perform well in the CRC programme and achieve financial benefits from the scheme."