Carbon Emission Accounting Balancing the books for the UK
Citation |
Morgan, N. Carbon Emission Accounting Balancing the books for the UK. 2011. |
Author(s) |
Morgan, N. |
Download |
Policy_Briefing_Carbon_Emission_Accounting_Balancing_the_Books_for_the_UK.pdf  |
UKERC Report Number |
UKERC/BP/CO2EMI/2011/001 |
Abstract |
- Nearly 20 years of climate change policy has failed to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions linked to
economic activity in the UK.
- Although the UK has met its Kyoto obligations, this has been achieved largely by outsourcing production and
relying on importing consumer products from abroad to meet growing consumer demand. As UK consumer demand has continued to grow, so have the GHG emissions embedded in imported goods.
- If the UK is to measure its overall contribution to changes in global GHG emissions, consumer emission
accounting offers a sound method for attributing GHG emissions.
- Increased transfer of low-carbon technologies to producer countries, even when technology transfer does not
form part of any international GHG emissions reduction agreement, will help those countries to reduce their emissions and thereby contribute to a true global reduction.
- “Framework conditions” to encourage sustainable consumption might involve government intervention in areas
such as prices, providing infrastructure for a sustainable lifestyle, and public engagement.
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