Budget 2009 And The Environment

In the Budget the Government stated that it is committed to ensuring the long term environmental ambitions, as defined by carbon budgets, are not jeopardised by short term economic conditions. Brief details of the environmental measures are set out below.

Climate change: carbon budgets

As required by the Climate Change Act 2008, the Budget sets out the Government's first three five-year carbon budgets, covering the periods to 2008-2022. As announced in December 2008 it is intended that there will be a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 34 per cent below the 1990 level by 2020. The budgets, based on the advice of the Climate Change Committee, are interim in nature and may be revised following any new international climate change agreement that may replace the Kyoto Protocol following the Copenhagen meeting in December this year.