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Written question asked by Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 18 January 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 23 January 2006. It was answered by Elliot Morley (Labour) on Wednesday, 8 February 2006 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Carbon Emissions

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of the displacement of carbon emissions has been achieved through the introduction of energy efficiency measures in each year since 1997.
Answer

[holding answer 23 January 2006]: An exercise has been carried for the household sector, for the period 1970 to 2001. The carbon changes are subject to a ““decomposition analysis”” into seven factors, two efficiency ones—reduced losses from the building envelope, and improved heating system efficiency—and five others which drive emissions both up and down—household numbers, level of energy service demand (e.g. for comfort, hot water), external temperature, the carbon intensity of grid electricity, and fuel switching by households. The changes are presented in terms of tonnes of carbon rather than shares of the net change. The results for the three decades are shown graphically, for each complete decade, to illustrate the longer term effects of the different factors, and eliminate the shorter term annual fluctuations. The table gives the annual changes from 1997 to 2001. The graph will be placed in the Library.Defra is currently completing a separate exercise to develop energy efficiency indicators for the household sector, and plans to use these, together with decomposition analysis, to report in more detail on the achievements of its various policies. Comparable work on indicators for the Industry and Services sectors is also under way but at a less advanced stage since energy use is much more complex, and energy efficiency technical measures more numerous, than in the household sector.

Components of carbon emission change (MtC)
Between years Household growth Level of service External temperature Building envelope heat loss Heating system efficiency Electricity Supply Industry factors Other carbon factor changes Total
1997–98 0.32 1.03 -0.35 -0.08 -0.24 -0.17 0.78 1.30
1998–99 0.35 1.02 0.56 -0.08 -0.81 -0.10 -1.47 -0.51
1999–2000 0.24 1.02 0.03 -0.67 -0.50 -0.13 0.47 0.46
2000–01 0.25 1.06 0.82 -0.76 -0.59 +1.42 1.02 3.22

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
44788; 442 c1281-2W;442 c1281-2W
Session
2005-06
Related items
Deposited Paper DEP 06/383
Monday, 13 February 2006
Deposited papers
House of Commons
Subjects
Conservation Air pollution Carbon Energy Pollution control
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk