Skip to main content

Written question asked by Caroline Lucas (Green Party) on Friday, 27 January 2017, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 31 January 2017. It was answered by Jesse Norman (Conservative) on Monday, 6 February 2017 on behalf of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.


Fossil Fuels

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2016 to Question 56871, what proportion of the UK's fossil reserves need to be left in the ground to prevent global temperature change above two degrees centigrade.

Answer

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has not made its own estimates of the proportion of UK fossil fuel reserves that need to be left in the ground to ensure that global warming is kept to within 2°C. However, even if the UK were to leave all of its fossil fuel reserves unused this would not necessarily limit temperatures to below 2°C, as this is a global issue that we need to collectively address.

As we move towards a low-carbon future following the path set by the Climate Change Act and the carbon budgets, it remains in all our interests that we utilise our home-grown oil and gas reserves as they are expected to be an important part of the energy mix for years to come.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
62007
Session
2016-17
Related items
Fossil Fuels
Monday, 19 December 2016
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects
Climate change Fossil fuels Reserves
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk