Climate Change Bill

The UK Government recently published its Energy White Paper, which sets out a framework for dealing with long-term energy challenges in the UK and within the international community. The White Paper outlines ways in which the UK can reduce energy consumption, develop cleaner energy resources and secure its energy supply. In order to reach these objectives, the Government has proposed a wide range of initiatives that will be consulted on over the following months. Some of these initiatives, including the introduction of a new domestic emissions trading scheme, will need to be implemented via legislation. The vehicle for introducing much of this legislation will be the Climate Change Bill, a draft of which was recently released by DEFRA for consultation. This article looks at the role of the draft Climate Change Bill and how it will help the UK to meet the objectives of the Energy White Paper.