Appendix: Government response
Government response to Environmental Audit Committee
report on climate change and local, regional and devolved government
Summary
1. The Government welcomes the EAC's Eighth Report
of Session 2007-08 on climate change and local, regional and devolved
(herein referred to as 'sub-national') government, for its observations
and recommendations and its contribution to the evidence base
on this crucial area. This UK Government response to the Committee's
findings is mostly concerned with English and UK-wide reserved
policy as the devolved administrations, which presented separate
memorandums to the Committee earlier in this enquiry, have their
own climate change strategies.
2. The Government shares the Committee's view
that action at a sub-national level is essential in enabling us
to meet our ambitious but very necessary commitments to mitigating
and adapting to climate change. While notable progress has been
made we agree with the Committee that the momentum must be sustained.
The carbon cuts demanded by the Climate Change Bill will require
major effort from sub-national government alongside other sectors.
This response to the EAC's report describes the measures which
the Government is putting in place to ensure continuing progress.
3. Each level of government, as observed by the
EAC, has a distinctive role to play in its contribution to addressing
climate change. The Government agrees that coordination of approach
is important in maximising the effectiveness of action but also
places emphasis on the need to encourage devolved action as opposed
to over-reliance on a centrally managed policy framework. While
sub-national government is expected to help achieve nationally
agreed objectives, we believe that it should also be permitted
and encouraged to adopt approaches which reflect varying conditions,
opportunities and constraints.
4. Local government has a pivotal role in tackling
climate change particularly through its community leadership role
and the range of services that it provides. While many local authorities
have already made headway in action to help realise this potential,
we believe that the introduction of climate change indicators
in the new local authority performance framework will serve to
raise the game of all local authorities in this crucial area.
Mitigating and adapting to climate change cannot be regarded as
an optional extra for local government; it has been designated
a core activity on which action is required.
5. The popularity of target setting against climate
change indicators in LAAs is testimony to the appetite and commitment
in the local government sector to playing a leading part in combating
climate change. Through the coordinating role of the regional
Government Office network, the Government has agreed targets on
climate change in 98% of Local Area Agreements (LAAs). We would
draw particular attention to the high take up of targets against
national indicator 186 on reducing per capita emissions of carbon
dioxide in local authority areas: two-thirds of all LAAs have
set targets against this indicator. Regardless of whether targets
are set on climate change, progress on addressing it will be measured
for all local authorities. The introduction of the Carbon Reduction
Commitment will also provide an added incentive to address climate
change mitigation in larger councils, leading to large gains in
energy efficiency and corresponding reductions in carbon emissions.
6. At a regional level, Government Offices, Regional
Assemblies and Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) have worked
in close partnership to develop coherent climate change policies.
Following its review of sub-national economic development and
regeneration (SNR), the Government has consulted on producing
single regional strategies that build on, and replace, the existing
regional spatial strategies (RSSs) and regional economic strategies
(RESs). The Government has suggested that single regional strategies
would set out the regions' objectives for sustainable economic
growth in ways that support the move to a low carbon economy,
and deliver the objectives of the Climate Change Bill. The Government
is due to respond to the consultation in due course.
7. As the EAC's report notes, the shared commitment
of the UK Government and the devolved administrations in responding
to climate change as a matter of priority has engendered a positive
and constructive working relationship in this area. Under the
Climate Change Bill, the Government must take into account any
representations made by devolved administrations before setting
carbon budgets.
8. Adaptation to climate change must be improved
in all levels of government. The Government's Adapting to Climate
Change Programme, which brings together the work already being
led by Government and the wider public sector on adapting to climate
change, will co-ordinate and develop an integrated adaptation
response. The development of the Government's programme will be
overseen by the Cross Whitehall Domestic Adaptation Programme
Board, incorporating all key Whitehall departments involved. Furthermore,
the Climate Change Bill will give the Government a power to require
public bodies to produce adaptation reports and to provide statutory
guidance on how they should report, specifically on assessing
the risks to their organisation, and develop their programmes
for climate change adaptation.
9. The Government is committed to providing local
and regional government with the support it needs to strengthen
its capability to tackle climate change. In addition to the support
that is already provided by the Carbon Trust and the Energy Saving
Trust, the Government has launched a £4m Climate Change Best
Practice Programme which will develop local government capacity
to perform well against the new climate change indicators in the
new local government performance framework. Climate change will
also form an important focus within the Government's wider National
Improvement and Efficiency Strategy.
10. The Government accepts the need to review
and monitor the impact of its policies for tackling climate change
at a sub-national level. We believe that recently introduced measures,
especially the new climate change indicators, will make a substantial
difference but will consider additional measures where we believe
there is a need.
11. The creation of the new Department of Energy
and Climate Change (DECC) on 3 October 2008 will be beneficial
to sub-national government's ability to respond to the challenge
of climate change. By bringing together the closely related policy
areas of climate change and energy into the same department, the
national policy framework in which sub-regional government operates
will be considerably strengthened.
RESPONSES TO THE EAC's CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
12. The Government has responded to individual
conclusions/ recommendations made by the Committee but in some
cases has grouped these together where they are closely related
and addressed them in a single response.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 1
It is vital that local, regional and devolved
government have a clear understanding of their role in tackling
climate change. We commend the work the Government has done in
collaboration with the devolved administrations. We recognise
that the Local Government Association's Commission on Climate
Change has helped to raise the profile of climate change and has
made some important recommendations. However, central Government
has a duty to co-ordinate how the different spheres of government
in the UK interact and to integrate, within the context of devolution
and localism, action on the issue of climate change. (Paragraph
5)
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 19
Regional co-ordination is important and the Government
must ensure that the different players are all clear about their
respective roles. We believe that as well as co-ordinating action
on climate change between the different spheres of government
in the UK, it is important that there is a joined up approach
between local, regional and devolved government and other public
service provision. (Paragraph 66)
13. The Government agrees that effective co-ordination
between all levels of government is important in responding to
climate change. We will continue to develop what is already a
significant programme of work in this area including developing
the framework—statutory or otherwise—for delivery
at the sub-national level on mitigation and adaptation.
14. At the local authority level, the new performance
framework plays a key role in coordinating action, with the respective
roles of Government Departments, regional Government Offices,
local government and related partners, including the Audit Commission
and Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships (RIEPs),
clearly defined.
15. Government Offices provide coordination through
their close relationship with local authorities. A particularly
important aspect of this relationship is the responsibility of
Government Offices for negotiating performance targets with local
authorities in LAAs, as part of the local authority performance
framework. Government Offices in partnership with the Department
for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) have proved highly
successful in achieving the Government's aim of ensuring that
addressing climate change features prominently in LAAs, with 98
per cent of LAAs containing at least one climate change target.
16. Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs), which
play a central role in delivering the targets set in LAAs, comprise
a large number of important local organisations which are drawn
from the public, private and voluntary sectors. LSPs are responsible
for developing delivery plans setting out how they will make improvements
in relation to LAA targets. The Audit Commission and Government
Offices will be responsible for evaluating local government performance
on behalf of the Government.
17. At a regional level, the Government Office
network oversees coordination between regional bodies including
Regional Assemblies, RDAs, Regional Climate Change Partnerships,
regional divisions of the Environment Agency and other partners.
There is considerable participation by these bodies within the
existing framework for agreeing and implementing the two statutory
regional strategies: the RSS (prepared by the Regional Assembly)
and the RES (prepared by the RDA). RSSs are subject to sustainability
appraisals as required by the relevant legislation. These strategies
include policies relevant to climate change such as, for example,
targets for increasing use of renewable energy. The Government
expects that as we move towards Single Regional Strategies we
will make further progress in addressing climate change, paying
considerable attention to this in the strategy appraisal and authorisation
process.
18. Coordination of regional climate change policy
should be improved by the implementation of the reforms set out
in the SNR on which the Government has been consulting. The proposed
SNR reforms are intended to maximise environmentally sustainable
prosperity across England through ensuring policy is managed at
the right spatial level and that there is clarity of roles at
the sub-regional level. Central among the SNR's proposals is the
replacement of RSSs and RESs with single regional strategies;
this will be particularly helpful in simplifying the regional
tier and promoting better coordination and cooperation. The SNR
consultation document highlighted the need for future strategies
to support the move to a low carbon economy to deliver the objectives
set out in the Climate Change and Energy Bills. They will also
be expected to address the need to manage the risks and opportunities
of unavoidable climate change.
19. At both a local and regional level, spatial
planning has a key role in helping to tackle climate change. The
Government has made this clear in the new Planning Policy Statement
(PPS) on climate change which was published at the end of 2007
and which makes clear that tackling climate change is at the centre
of what Government expects from good planning. That is why the
PPS has been issued as a supplement to PPS1: Delivering Sustainable
Development, which is central to the entire series of planning
policy statements. This new emphasis on planning's role in helping
to confront the challenges of climate change, is supported by
the Planning Bill which includes a new duty on local plans to
take action on climate change.
20. Climate change—both mitigation and
adaptation—will now be a key and integrating theme in plans
and planning decisions. In particular, the PPS sets out a significant
role for both regional and local planning in helping to speed
up the shift to renewable and low-carbon energy, supporting our
ambitions on zero carbon development and helping shape places
resilient to the impact of climate change. The Government is developing
practice guidance to support planners and others in implementing
the PPS; a 'living' draft of this has been available since this
spring.
21. A coordinated approach is also being taken
by the Government in the delivery of the Home Energy Saving Programme
which was announced on 11 September 2008. Among the measures included
in this programme, the Government will propose a new statutory
obligation on energy suppliers and electricity generators to undertake
community-based energy savings activities. The aim of the obligation
would be to raise the take-up and efficient delivery of energy
efficiency measures through street-by-street approaches. The Government
envisages, and will encourage, that this be undertaken by partnerships
of energy companies, local authorities, community organisations
and social enterprises, among others. The Government has had positive
discussions with the Local Government Association at senior levels
about this new initiative.
22. The Government has made significant progress
in the co-ordination of the Government's work on adaptation in
England. In July 2008, the Government published 'Adapting to
Climate Change in England; A framework for action' setting
out what the government has already done and what it will be planning
to do to help the country adapt to climate change. In the framework,
we have committed to working with sub-national bodies, from RDAs
to parish and town councils.
23. Coordination of support for local and regional
government on climate change mitigation and adaptation is recognised
by the Government as essential. This has been reflected in the
approach taken to developing the Climate Change Best Practice
Programme and the wider RIEP programme (see paragraphs 105
to 114)
24. As part of the package of support that we
are providing to local government, we have worked with several
partners to bring together a Local and Regional Adaptation Partnership
Board (LRAP). The LRAP Board, chaired by Government Office London
as Government Office lead on adaptation, includes representatives
from the key local and regional bodies including the Nottingham
Declaration Partnership, local government and LSPs, RDAs, the
RIEPs, Environment Agency, Natural England and the Local Government
Association. The LRAP Board partners have agreed to work together
to develop a common understanding of adaptation priorities, to
set out a clear programme of support and to encourage appropriate
links between national policy and evidence and local and regional
delivery. The board is in the process of developing a three year
work programme which in the first instance has made support of
the national adaptation indicator a priority.
25. The UK Government and devolved administrations
are committed to working closely together to share best practice
and develop cross-border initiatives. To do this we have set up
the Adapting to Climate Change UK group which meets every six
months. The next meeting is scheduled for October 2008. The Government
also cooperates closely with the Devolved Administrations on climate
change mitigation issues, particularly concerning the Climate
Change Bill and on the policies and proposals that will deliver
the targets to be set under it (see paragraph 117).
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 2
Procurement, housing, transport and adaptation
are obviously areas where local authorities could expect to make
significant progress but how these are balanced will depend on
local circumstances. The Government made clear its national priorities
in the Comprehensive Spending Review and has put real effort into
cascading these to local government through Government Offices
and the guidance it has produced. The selection of priorities
by local authorities will be determined by their scope for action
and any particular competency they have. But it is important that
efforts to spread best practice and to provide advice and guidance
draw their examples from the agreed priorities. (Paragraph 6)
26. The 2007 pre-budget and Comprehensive Spending
Review (CSR) provided for increased funding for tackling climate
change, building on the sustained increases of the last two years'
reviews. This underlines the priority which the Government attaches
to its climate change commitments which, we agree, should be translated
into progress at a regional and local level.
27. The new local government performance framework
and its set of 198 indicators is a key element in cascading CSR
priorities to local government. We have been working closely with
Government Offices to encourage adoption of our key priorities
by local government and this has been realised through the significant
uptake of environmental targets in LAAs (see paragraph 70).
We will continue to work with Government Offices on the delivery
of our key environmental priorities through LAAs, regional and
sub-regional processes.
28. Guidance, such as that set out in the Government's
Energy Measures Report (September 2007), reflects national
priorities in the CSR. All local authorities must have regard
to this report in exercising their functions, under the 2006 Climate
Change and Sustainable Energy Act. The Climate Change Best Practice
Programme will also draw its examples from the national priorities
in the CSR (see paragraphs 105 to 114).
29. We welcome the Committee's view that adaptation
is an area where local government can make significant progress
and agree that spreading best practice will be important. The
development of adaptation responses is at a fairly early stage,
however there are already some emerging examples of good practice
within local authorities. As part of the LRAP Board programme,
Defra, the Government Offices and the UK Climate Impacts Programme
(UKCIP) are leading the delivery of a series of regional workshops
in October 2008 and Spring 2009 to bring local authorities and
partners who are delivering against National Indicator 188 together
to share experiences and establish adaptation networks. In addition,
also as part of the LRAP Board programme, the Government Office
through their Climate Action Support Programme are leading the
development and production of a set of case studies on emerging
good practice which will be available to all local authorities
in the new year. All of this material will be made available through
the Nottingham Declaration website and through the regional pages
as part of the new Adapting to Climate Change website www.defra.gov.uk/adaptation.
The Government is also producing more detailed guidance on the
national indicator later this year building on the input of local
authorities and others as part of the autumn adaptation workshops.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 3
Local, regional and devolved government will never
be successful in overcoming barriers to progress on climate change
if they lack the motivation to take action or the barriers they
face are too high. External inspection, audit and challenge will
undoubtedly play an important part in providing motivation, as
will changes to the policy and performance management frameworks.
The Government must look carefully at the incentives and encouragements
it can offer to local, regional and devolved government and the
steps it can take to help them overcome barriers to action. (Paragraph
11)
30. The Government agrees that inspection and
audit must be complemented by incentives, encouragement and support
to stimulate action. One of the most valuable benefits to be gained
from reducing carbon emissions from local authority operations,
through boosting energy efficiency and cost effective low carbon
energy generation, is the potential for major cost savings. This
was arguably the main motivating factors behind Woking Borough
Council's major investment in its energy saving Combined Heat
and Power (CHP) supply which has become a role model for other
local authorities. The substantial rise in energy prices that
local government has been facing recently further strengthens
the case for investing in measures of this sort.
31. The Government provides support for investment
in energy saving in the public sector through the invest-to-save
scheme operated by Salix finance. Salix is an independent company
set up by the Carbon Trust in 2005 as a £5m pilot to work
with local authorities, giving them access to capital expenditure
to invest in energy efficient measures and technologies (e.g.
boilers, insulation, lighting and heating controls). Salix received
funding of £16m between 2006-08 to work with the whole of
the public sector, and will receive a further £30m between
2008-2011 under the Environmental Transformation Fund. Salix is
currently working with 80 public sector clients, on 1,350 individual
projects, which are projected to save £4m on energy bills
and realise lifetime savings of 300,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Energy saving expertise is also offered by the Carbon Trust's
carbon management programme which has already benefited over 100
local authorities.
32. Incentives to stimulate energy efficiency
improvements in larger local authorities will be offered by the
Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) which applies mandatory emissions
trading to cut carbon emissions from large public sector and commercial
organisations. In 2013 the CRC will set a cap on the amount of
carbon emissions that can be emitted by those participating in
the scheme. Within that cap, local authorities will have both
financial and reputational incentives to significantly reduce
their emissions. There are two financial drivers built into the
CRC for local authorities to become more energy efficient. Firstly
the CRC will incentivise local authorities to avoid the costs
associated with inefficient use of energy. Secondly, there are
financial bonuses and penalties linked to how local authorities
perform in the league table that will be set up as part of the
scheme.
33. Investment measures to adapt to climate change
will pay dividends to local authorities in the long and short
term. But it is important to identify the nature and extent of
barriers that may prevent successful adaptation, and target intervention
on the basis of that understanding. One of the main potential
barriers is a lack of adequate information, which is being addressed
through the Government's Adaptation programme. Under the programme,
Government is leading a project to produce a national cost benefit
analysis and climate change risk assessment as required under
the draft Climate Change Bill. In addition, the continuing work
of the UKCIP, including new climate scenarios, and the support
and guidance framework delivered by the newly convened Local and
Regional Adaptation Partnership Board, all aim to improve access
to information on adaptation.
34. The Government's Growth Points initiative,
which invites those local partnerships wishing to pursue increased
levels of growth to enter into a "partnership of growth"
with Government, represents another important form of encouragement
for taking ambitious action. In return for funding, the successful
locations agree to abide by challenging environmental standards
to ensure that environmental impacts are managed sustainably.
High standards of design and significant investment in environmental
infrastructure will be essential to ensure that growth can be
delivered sustainably. Local partners are invited to bid for initial
funding for infrastructure projects to unlock sites for new housing
and improve the environment. Support is also available to contribute
towards essential studies and assessments, master planning and
building up delivery capacity. The latest round of growth points
was announced in July 2008 and there are now 50 growth point locations
working in partnership with Government.
35. A financial incentive will be offered by
the Government as part of the Local Government Performance Framework
for effective performance against any climate change targets set
in LAAs. This will be provided through the Reward Grant incentive
package for delivery of LAA targets which would become payable
in 2011/2012.
36. It is also worth referring to the important
reputational incentive for local authorities to undertake effective
action to combat climate change. Mounting awareness of the threat
posed by climate change is likely to be increasingly translated
into a greater expectation for strong local authority performance
on this front. Growing public interest in this issue could prove
one of the most effective of all drivers of greater action.
37. The new Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA)
will be introduced from April 2009 as part of the new performance
framework. CAA will be carried out jointly by the independent
local public service inspectorates, led by the Audit Commission.
It will include assessments of prospects for delivery and improvement
against local priorities (including LAA improvement targets) and
the wider set of national indicators and will thus be able to
take account of how local authorities and their partners are addressing
climate change. CAA will draw on a range of evidence sources including
the national indicator set, the views of service users and other
citizen perspectives, local self-evaluation, and findings from
inspection, regulation and audit work.
38. The Carbon Emissions Reduction Commitment
(CERT) offers potential improvements to the energy efficiency
of social housing, helping to overcome a key barrier that holds
back investment in existing housing stock. CERT is an obligation
on licensed domestic energy suppliers with a customer base in
excess of 50,000 customers to promote carbon saving measures in
households in Great Britain. We estimate that suppliers will need
to invest over £3.3Bn[1]
over the current three-year phase which runs to March 2011. Suppliers
have to meet 40% of their target in the homes of a "priority
group" of aged over 70 or low income householders. In the
past, suppliers have worked with local authorities and other social
housing landlords to promote home energy saving measures—principally
insulation, but also including low energy lighting, heating measures,
fuel switching (to more efficient heat sources), and combined
heat and power (CHP) installations. We are currently evaluating
the most recent phase of the supplier obligation, but it is already
clear that significant improvements were delivered by suppliers
working in partnership with local authorities and other social
landlords.
39. We agree that it is important for the Government
to consider the support that it can offer sub-national government
to overcome barriers to action. The Climate Change Best Practice
Programme will play an important role in providing this support
(see paragraphs 105 to 114).
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 4
We believe that local and regional government
has in the past faced contradictions in national policy on climate
change. Some problems with cross-government policy co-ordination
remain; there are tensions between regional airport expansion
and the need to limit emissions from aviation; it is not clear
how the targets to build more homes will be compatible with efforts
to lower emissions; increased road building and lack of a national
strategy on road pricing are incompatible with the need to reduce
emissions from road transport; it is unclear how district renewable
energy and district heating are to be taken into account. (Paragraph
17)
40. For the UK to achieve the enormous cuts in
carbon emissions which the Government believes are necessary to
avoid catastrophic climate change, substantial action must be
taken in all sectors. We agree that it is vital for the objective
of mitigating and adapting to climate change to be embedded across
all Government policy, including transport and housing policy.
41. The creation DECC on 3 October 2008 represents
a major step forward in improving integration between climate
change policy and key related policy areas. The development of
energy policy is particularly crucial in tackling climate change;
bringing together the responsibility for these two areas into
a single department will help ensure more coherent and effective
policymaking.
42. The UK Climate Change Programme represents
a concerted approach to tackling climate change across all Departmental
areas of responsibility. In view of the priority accorded to tackling
climate change by the Government, Departments have placed the
issue at the top of their agendas, ensuring that their policies
are supportive of the Government's climate change objectives.
43. In respect of adaptation, the Government
recently published its adaptation framework for action document
and website. The framework brings together the work already being
led by Government and the wider public sector on adapting to climate
change and sets out how the Government's Adaptation Programme
will co-ordinate and drive forward development of the Government's
work in the future. The development of the Government's programme
will be overseen by the Cross Whitehall Domestic Adaptation Programme
Board incorporating all key Whitehall departments involved.
44. Turning to the specific policy areas identified
by the EAC:
AVIATION:
45. On Aviation, the Future of Air Transport
White Paper (2003) committed the Government to ensuring that
aviation reflects the full costs of its climate change emissions;
and to make better use of existing airport capacity through a
process of improvement and modernisation. It invited airport operators
to publish master plans explaining how their modernisation and
development proposals would help inform regional and local planning
processes, and how they would take account of local impacts and
the wider environmental impacts of air travel.
46. We have a strategy in place to address the
climate change implications of expansion, namely through pressing
for aviation to be included in emissions trading. The agreement
to include all arriving and departing flights into, out of and
within the EU from 2012 onwards in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme
(ETS) is a major step forward in ensuring that the climate change
impacts of aviation emissions are addressed.
47. Under the EU proposal, carbon dioxide emissions
from EU aviation are to be capped at 97% of average 2004-06 levels
in 2012 and any emissions above this level must be covered through
corresponding reductions in aviation or through purchasing allowances
from the market.
48. We support the limited expansion of airport
capacity and have rejected proposals for new capacity at several
airports (including Gatwick), promoting instead making better
use of existing airport infrastructure. Our support for limited
expansion of capacity is based on a full analysis of the impacts,
and in the case of Heathrow, expansion is conditional on meeting
strict environmental limits.
49. The Government also continues to take a leading
role by ensuring aviation pays its climate change costs through
taxation, promoting operational improvements, investing in research
and development, encouraging behavioural change and raising awareness
of the carbon impacts of everyday actions.
ROAD TRANSPORT:
50. The Government is pursuing a range of policies
to reduce the environmental impact of road transport including
working through the EU to bring forward mandatory standards for
CO2 emissions from new cars; saving carbon through
renewable fuels; low carbon transport technologies innovation
and information campaigns. Government also is raising awareness
among motorists of what they can do to reduce emissions and promoting
low carbon ways of travelling such as walking, cycling and public
transport.
51. The Government is mindful that an increase
in traffic overall could still lead to an increase in the aggregate
level of road transport emissions. Beyond the development of vehicle
technology, there is an important relationship between emissions
and better managing capacity and traffic flow. The risk of stop-start
traffic and gridlock on our roads would be damaging for the economy,
for the environment and for our quality of life. The Department
for Transport (DfT) recently published Roads—Delivering
Choice and Reliability (July 2008) which sets out how the
Government will get the best out of the road network. We have
always been clear that tackling congestion is a priority. That
means focusing on where it is a problem now—in towns and
cities and on motorways.
52. Over the past couple of years, the debate
has been about the case for implementing a widespread road pricing
scheme. Work is ongoing across the world to explore the new technologies
and systems that could make such a scheme practicable in the future.
In time this should help identify answers to the very real concerns
that people have; for example about the sort of equipment that
might be involved and the way their personal privacy could be
safeguarded.
53. In the meantime, while we are still a long
way away from having these answers, our priority, over the next
decade, must be on the things we can be doing to relieve pressure
on the most overcrowded routes, to give road users greater choice
over the journeys they take, and to recognise the premium they
put on the reliability and predictability of journey times.
54. We are also developing a Carbon Accounting
Framework, to understand better the carbon footprint of our construction,
maintenance and operational activities on our strategic roads.
NEW HOMES (AND OTHER FORMS OF DEVELOPMENT):
55. The objectives of housing growth and reducing
carbon emissions are not mutually exclusive. The Government made
clear in its Green Paper 'Homes for the Future: More affordable,
more sustainable' (Cm 7191, July 2007) that its policy is
to build more and better homes, meeting high environmental standards.
The planning process, including such mechanisms as sustainability
appraisal, considers the environmental impact of plans for new
development.
56. The Green Paper set out the target for all
new homes to be zero carbon from 2016, via a progressive tightening
of the carbon standards in the Part L Building Regulations—by
25% in 2010 and by 44% in 2013—up to the zero carbon target
from 2016. The Government will be consulting shortly on a definition
of the term 'zero carbon'. The Government is supporting the zero
carbon delivery hub which the industry has set up to manage the
zero carbon programme. The Government will be consulting also
on a programme to achieve the ambition announced in the 2007 Budget
for all new non-domestic buildings to be zero carbon from 2019.
57. It is already the Government's ambition that
all new schools are zero carbon from 2016. The Government has
also announced an ambition for all new public sector buildings
to be zero carbon from 2018. A Public Buildings taskforce is being
established to advise on how we could achieve this ambition, including
whether the timescale is realistic, and how to reduce carbon emissions
from public buildings in the intervening period.
58. The Green Paper also set out the Government's
proposals for eco towns. The Government will be publishing for
consultation shortly a draft PPS and a sustainability appraisal
for eco towns.
59. The PPS on Climate Change sets out how regional
and local planning can best support achievement of the zero-carbon
target for new housing, alongside meeting community needs for
economic and housing development. (see paragraphs 19 and 20).
RENEWABLE ENERGY AND DISTRICT HEATING:
60. Renewable energy has a critical role to play
in meeting our two key energy policy challenges of tackling climate
change and ensuring secure energy supplies. The Renewable Energy
Strategy (RES) consultation, published in the summer, identified
significant additional benefits to society from renewable energy;
for example £100bn worth of investment opportunities and
up to 160,000 potential jobs in the UK and beyond.
61. For this reason, the UK helped secure agreement
to a binding target that 20% of the EU's energy should come from
renewable sources by 2020. The European Commission has proposed
that the UK's contribution to reaching this target will to meet
15% of its energy needs from renewable sources by the same date.
This is ambitious, representing a tenfold increase on current
figures; the RES consultation is gathering views from the public
and industry on the best and most cost-effective way of achieving
the target. The Government has always been clear that it will
not achieve these goals unless everyone—consumers, industry,
sub-national and national government—plays their part.
62. We recognise that more clarity in policy
is needed, particularly in new and emerging areas such as heat.
Almost half of the UK's energy is used in the form of heat which
in turn accounts for 47% of the UK's total carbon emissions. In
addition, we have recently seen a substantial gas price rise and
a growing reliance on imported gas. The Government recognises,
therefore, the importance of finding more efficient and cleaner
ways of generating our heat. The RES consultation has therefore
proposed increasing the proportion of renewable heat we use from
0.6% today to 14% by 2020. Following on from the results of the
Heat Call for Evidence we will publish a further consultation
on our strategy for developing low carbon heat, including district
heating. This will be published in the autumn alongside additional
work on energy efficiency and energy savings.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 5
The Climate Change Bill will help but the Government
must minimise the inconsistencies between policies and ensure
departments across Whitehall have a joined up approach to climate
change. Government must also provide clear advice and help local,
regional and devolved government understand how tensions in policy
are to be reconciled, particularly how economic growth and sustainable
development are to be prioritised. Economic and environmental
policies must be integrated if we are to successfully move to
a low-carbon economy. (Paragraphs 18)
63. A cross-government focus on delivery and
implementation of the climate change and energy programme, domestically
and internationally, is provided by the Delivery and Strategy
High Level Board (DASH Board) which has members from across Whitehall
including DECC, Defra, Department for Business, Enterprise and
Regulatory Reform (BERR), HM Treasury, DFT, CLG, Cabinet Office,
FCO and DfID. The Board and secretariat are working to continue
to make improvements which will ensure that attention is focused
on priorities and risks. At Ministerial level, the Energy and
Environment Cabinet sub-Committee ensures collective ministerial
decision making.
64. In recognition of the wide ranging impacts
to which a changing climate could give rise, the Government has
also convened a cross Whitehall programme board to report to DASH
with a wider departmental membership which in due course will
oversee the development of a statutory adaptation programme required
under the Climate Change Bill.
65. The carbon budgets to be set under the Climate
Change Bill will mean that the net effect of all policies across
Whitehall must be for an overall reduction in carbon emissions
in order to meet the budgets. As the Prime Minister has said,
"... every new policy will ... be examined for its impact
on carbon emissions, not just those which reduce emissions but
those which increase them. Where emissions rise in one sector
we will have to achieve corresponding falls in another."
Consideration is being given across Government as to the practical
arrangements for managing carbon budgets, including ensuring that
Ministers have the information they need to minimise the carbon
impacts of all new policies and to make trade-offs where necessary.
66. The Bill requires a report to be laid before
Parliament that sets out the proposals and policies being taken
forward across Government to meet carbon budgets. The Bill requires
that the report explains how the proposals and policies will affect
different sectors of the economy, and the timescales over which
they are expected to take effect. In addition, the proposals and
policies prepared by Government must, taken as a whole, contribute
to sustainable development.
67. As mentioned above (paragraphs 55 to 59),
the Government has developed a coherent approach for ensuring
that its polices for new development meet its environmental and
economic sustainability objectives. This includes the Code for
Sustainable Homes, the zero carbon commitments for domestic and
non-domestic development and its national planning policies, which
have delivering sustainable development at their core.
68. In its lead role for setting the overall
policy framework within which RDAs operate, BERR has given a high
priority to sustainability and climate change issues. The new
RDA sponsorship framework requires RDAs to apply the cross-cutting
principles of sustainable development to all their activities.
In addition, the Regional Economic Performance PSA, on which the
RDAs are tasked, contains important actions on climate change
(mitigation and adaptation) in the context of economic growth.
The RDAs have all signed up to set carbon reduction targets in
their corporate plans and have committed to other low carbon targets,
as listed in the 2007 Energy White Paper.
69. On transport, in its lead role, DfT maintains
constructive working relationships with the UK devolved administrations
and sub-national government, working with them on matters of common
interest including climate change. DfT works with its partners
to improve the environmental performance of transport and tackle
climate change. Climate change was recognised as one of the key
challenges in the DfT framework document Towards a Sustainable
Transport System (TaSTS), published October 2007. TaSTS also
recognised the need to ensure transport assets and infrastructure
are properly planned, designed and maintained to be resilient
to the impacts of climate change. Throughout the TaSTS process
DfT has engaged with the devolved administrations and sub-national
government ensuring continuous dialogue and involvement in developments.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 6
Climate change is an area where one might expect
to see priorities for local government being set nationally. Targets
can be justified for local government on issues of national or
international importance that may not be driving local priorities.
All local authorities should be obliged to include the climate
change indicators in their Local Area Agreements, either as negotiated
targets or as voluntary targets.
(Paragraph 21)
70. The performance of all local areas is monitored
against each of the indicators in the local performance framework
regardless of whether targets have been set against them in LAAs.
In assessing local authority performance, the Audit Commission
will pay close attention to progress against all indicators. In
agreeing up to 35 indicators, against which targets would be set
in LAAs, considerable emphasis was placed by the Government on
the importance of climate change targets within LAAs; we are pleased
that such a large number (98%) have chosen to do so, with some
selecting multiple climate change targets. Out of the total of
150 LAAs, 100 include targets on National Indicator (NI)186 on
per capita emissions in their areas, 56 on NI 188 on adapting
to climate change and 40 on NI 185 on emissions from local authority
operations. This represents clear evidence that local government
and their partners are choosing to respond positively to the opportunity
presented by the new local performance to agree targets on addressing
climate change.
71. We resisted calls for a duty on public bodies
and statutory undertakers to report on adaptation, favouring instead
a power for the Secretary of State to direct reporting authorities
(public bodies and statutory undertakers) to report on their risks
and their programme for adapting. This enables the Secretary of
State to target the use of the power, so the approach recognises
the relationship between central and local government and the
better regulation agenda. Local authorities are making progress
with NI188. If, however, future evidence suggests that local authorities
are not managing climate risks, the Secretary of State could require
them to report. Use of the power will be set out in a strategy
within one year of Royal Assent of the Climate Change Bill. The
strategy and the statutory guidance that will accompany it will
be consulted upon.
72. The Government will shortly start to consider
arrangements for the post-2011 local government framework. We
will include consideration of the EAC's recommendation for compulsory
climate change targets.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 7
Whether or not a local authority has included
the climate change indicators in its LAA, thinking about actions
to reduce emissions and to adapt to the likely changes in climate
should be part of the warp and weft of decision making in local
authorities. The Government must make sure that local authorities
are acting to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change across
their full range of activities, and that the introduction of the
indicators does not compartmentalise thinking about these issues.
It is not just actions taken specifically in relation to the climate
change indicators that have a role to play in reducing emissions
or adapting to climate change. What is important is making sure
that local authorities are considering the need to reduce emissions
and to adapt to climate change in all of their investment and
development plans. (Paragraph 26)
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 13
We acknowledge the impact and contribution 'wilful
individuals' have made and they have a role to play still in championing
the issue. But mainstreaming action on climate change must be
more than this; it must get beyond 'wilful individuals' if it
is to bring about the step change in the level of activity that
is needed. (Paragraph 44)
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 14
The Government must ensure policies, like the
Carbon Reduction Commitment, make a difference to the way climate
change is handled in local government so that it becomes an issue
that engages the political leaders and senior officials and not
just the band of 'wilful individuals' in environment teams. (Paragraph
46)
73. The Government agrees that local authorities
should take into account the need to tackle climate change at
all levels of decision making and in the delivery of their functions.
All elected members and officials should be aware of the need
to confront climate change regardless of their area of responsibility,
as opposed to only those with a purely environmental role. The
report produced for the Government by the Centre for Sustainable
Energy (CSE) in 2005 on the local and regional contribution to
addressing climate change recommended that climate change would
only be treated as a priority by local and regional government
if it became part of the local government performance framework.
The Government agreed with this analysis and we believe that the
inclusion of climate indicators in the local government performance
framework is already giving rise to a cultural change under which
climate change will be treated as a mainstream issue.
74. Greater transparency in local performance
on addressing climate change made possible by the climate change
indicators will arouse higher levels of commitment throughout
local authorities. Indicator 185, which measures carbon emissions
from the entire local authority estate as well as from business
travel, will require an exhaustive reporting of energy use from
buildings and vehicle fleet. This will enable opportunities for
efficiency gains which will be cost-saving as well as carbon-cutting.
Indicator 186 will help local authorities to evaluate the success
of their community-wide carbon reduction policies.
75. On adaptation, the government has recognised
that there are few outcome measures available to local authorities
to demonstrate progress on mainstreaming adaptation. We have therefore
developed NI188 'Planning to Adapt to climate change', a process
indicator which allows local authorities to assess their progress
towards embedding adaptation across the authority. The indicator,
which assesses performance over four levels of achievement, requires
the authority to declare a public commitment to tackling climate
change backed up with prioritised actions, assessment of the risks
and options and taking actions in key priority areas. As part
of the process, the authority and partners will need to demonstrate
an awareness of the impacts of climate change across the organisation
and service delivery areas and to show how the assessment of climate
risks are embedded in plans and processes.
76. Interest in local government's management
of its own emissions is expected to grow markedly with the introduction
of the CRC (see paragraph 32). DECC's CRC team has been
in contact with numerous local authorities in England, Wales,
Scotland and Northern Ireland and will continue to advise them
about how they can prepare for and benefit from the CRC.
77. The statutory duty for local planning authorities
on climate change in the Planning Bill will also raise the profile
of climate change as an issue in local government. The duty will
require local planning authorities to include in their development
plan documents policies which, taken as a whole, are designed
to ensure that development and use of land in their area contributes
to mitigating and adapting to climate change.
78. The provisions in the Local Transport Bill
and the Local Transport Plan (LTP) guidance will also strengthen
local authorities' obligation towards addressing climate change.
The Local Transport Bill, currently before Parliament, includes
a duty for local authorities to have regard to the Government's
policies on protecting or improving the environment when developing
and implementing their plans. Authorities will also be required
to have regard to Government guidance. DfT plans to consult on
draft LTP guidance in December 2008. It is expected that this
guidance will cover how local authorities would need to address
climate change in developing future LTPs. In doing so, the guidance
is likely to reflect the emerging direction of DfTs "Towards
a Sustainable Transport System" strategy. Following consultation,
DfT aims to issue final guidance in spring/summer 2009. LTPs are
due for renewal in April 2011.
79. The Government has also amended the Climate
Change Bill to introduce new powers that will require public authorities
to assess, where necessary, the risks of climate change and set
out what action they need to take in response. The Bill will also
provide for statutory guidance to help public authorities understand
how to assess the risks of climate change and plan any related
action.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 8
The assurance that the new performance framework
is delivering will come from the independent Comprehensive Area
Assessments carried out by the Audit Commission and other local
inspectorates. We commend the work done by the Audit Commission
and its partners to develop the framework for inspection. The
Government must ensure that this work is adequately resourced
and that the Audit Commission and the other inspectorates are
able to recruit and develop the skills and expertise they will
need. (Paragraph 28)
80. The Government agrees with the EAC that the
inspectorates should be resourced sufficiently to perform their
assessment and assurance role. In the case of the Audit Commission,
this resourcing will come through a combination of Government
grant funding and client fees. We also agree that the inspectorates
will need to ensure that they recruit and develop the skills and
expertise that they need.
81. The Government understands that all 42 of
the Audit Commission's CAA Leads (CAAL), who will coordinate the
assessment in local areas, are in post and regional teams have
been established with knowledge and skills covering areas of national
policy. A skills and knowledge training programme for CAALs has
been put in place. Audit Commission regional service leads on
environment and sustainability have access to a knowledge network
which has a remit to share knowledge, good practice examples and
discuss national policy issues and local impact. Organisations
including DECC, Defra, the Carbon Trust and UKCIP participate
in this network.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 9
We would expect that where the climate change
indicators on reducing CO2 are included in a Local
Area Agreement they will be accompanied by improvement targets
that would be in line with, or run ahead of, national targets.
It is important that targets are based on good data. Baselines
will need to be set carefully. Targets for the adaptation indicator
are much more difficult to construct; the indicator is about planning
to adapt rather than measuring an outcome. The Government will
need to help local authorities develop appropriate targets on
adaptation. (Paragraph 35)
82. The Government agrees that national targets
should inform local and regional target setting. However, different
local circumstances mean that we do not feel it would be appropriate
to require local and regional bodies to set targets that are equally
or more stringent than national ones. The Government, through
its regional Government Office network, has agreed targets for
carbon reduction for local authorities that are ambitious but
realistic. In addition to an element of emissions reduction that
is anticipated from national measures, the targets include a proportion
of reduction that is attributed to local authority measures acting
in conjunction with national measures and a proportion resulting
purely from local action.
83. We agree that it is important that the climate
change mitigation indicators, against which emissions reduction
targets are set in the local government performance framework,
are based on good data. For NI 186 on per capita emissions in
local authority areas, data is disaggregated from the National
Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI) which is subject to verification
by the United Nation's Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The local authority level disaggregated data is recognised independently
by the Office of National Statistics and these data are published
as National Statistics. Sources of emissions over which local
authorities have little potential to influence such as oil refineries
and motorways have been excluded for the purposes NI 186. Targets
that are set against NI 186 will be from a 2005 baseline.
84. The data used for NI 185, on emissions from
local authority operations, are supplied to the Government by
local authorities through a data collection tool. The quality
and completeness of the data submitted by local authorities is
subject to independent inspection by the Audit Commission. The
baseline for NI 185 will be set in summer 2009 once the emissions
data from financial year 2007/8 is calculated.
85. As the EAC acknowledges, providing outcome
measures on adaptation is far from straight forward. Many policy
levers are designed to avoid serious impacts or to maintain existing
services or objectives where a changing climate could impact on
delivery. In both cases, establishing a baseline is difficult,
if not impossible—you cannot easily measure the absence
of impact, or measure events where the drivers are not constant.
86. To ensure that there are robust and measureable
assessment criteria in place to measure local authority progress
on NI188, Defra has convened a sub-group of the LRAP Board to
oversee the development of appropriate guidance and self assessment
tools.
87. Whilst NI188 will remain the key indicator
for measuring adaptation at the local level, in Adapting to
Climate Change in England: a framework for action, the government
has committed to developing a wider range of national level indicators
to ensure there is a robust mechanism to measure the effectiveness
of the Government's new programme. It is expected that these will
include indicators on outcomes not just process. We will work
to ensure that the appropriate links are made to the local level
indicators and consult with local authority representatives when
developing these further.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 10
We are encouraged that many of those who have
set targets have demonstrated clear leadership and set targets
that are more ambitious than the national targets. We understand
the concerns the Government has about disaggregating national
targets. The Committee on Climate Change will need to assess whether
the sum of all the different spatial and sectoral approaches puts
the UK on track to meet its targets for reducing emissions. If
national targets are not disaggregated they should at least inform
local target setting; regional government has a particular role
to play in ensuring that local targets take account of both local
factors and national targets. (Paragraph 36)
88. Under the Climate Change Bill, both the Government
and the Committee on Climate Change must have regard to impacts
on particular sectors of the economy, as well as to differences
in circumstances between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern
Ireland, in connection with carbon budgets. In advising Government
on targets and carbon budgets, it is likely that the Committee
will wish to consider any regional local, or sectoral targets
and their effects.
89. As mentioned above (paragraph 82),
the Government agrees that national targets should inform local
and regional target setting, but believes that different local
circumstances must be taken into account. In negotiating carbon
reduction targets in LAAs the key objective was to demonstrate
environmental leadership by working in partnership across their
area to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and to bring about behaviour
change now in ways that will help achieve the longer term 2020
and 2050 objectives.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 11
The Government should ensure that local, regional
and devolved governments are aware of the range of targets beyond
those on emissions and adaptation that action on climate change
supports, like for example indicators on biodiversity, energy
and energy efficiency. (Paragraph 37)
90. We agree with the EAC that sub-national government
should be aware of the range of targets that action on climate
change can support, beyond those purely on climate change. Defra
wrote to all regional Government Offices earlier this year advising
them that NI indicator 186 (the "community carbon emissions
indicator") offers the potential to achieve additional positive
outcomes under other local economy and sustainability indicators.
91. The Government has alerted sub-national government
to the important relationship between climate change mitigation
and renewable energy supply in its Energy Measures report
(see paragraph 28). The same report also sets out the valuable
benefits to combating fuel poverty which can be gained from taking
action on climate change.
92. We would also draw attention to the relationship
between climate change mitigation and air quality. The Air Quality
Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland highlights
the important co-benefits that exist when considering policies
to reduce air pollutants and green house gases at the same time.
Devolved administrations and local authorities are encouraged
to seek win-win solutions where possible when working towards
the objectives contained in the Air Quality Strategy and indicator
3 of PSA 28. Furthermore, national indicator 194 on emissions
of particulate matter and oxides of nitrogen from local authority
estates and operations will see authorities seeking similar win-win
solutions that enable them to also perform well against national
indicator 185 on emissions of carbon dioxide, and vice-versa.
The data collection tool which the Government has designed for
local authorities to gather data on carbon emissions from local
authority operations will also be used to supply data on emissions
which effect air quality.
93. As with the mitigation of climate change
indicators in the local government performance framework, there
is a close relationship between delivery of NI 188 and the delivery
of several other indicators and targets within the indicator set.
Adapting to climate change will form part of the assessment of
several of the indicators. Conversely, evidence provided as part
of the other indicators, for example flooding and biodiversity,
will contribute to the evidence of achievement under NI188. On
biodiversity, we have issued guidance to local authorities in
respect of the new national indicator on biodiversity which makes
clear the positive conservation of local sites benefits both our
fauna and flora and the ecosystem services they provide, such
as air, water and soil quality that help mitigate effects, such
as flooding and pollution that can stem from climate change. In
addition, as highlighted above, we have committed to the development
of a wider range of national indicators (see paragraph 87).
94. We will explore how the emerging National
Improvement and Efficiency Strategy and the Climate Change Best
Practice Programme (see paragraphs 105 to 114) can help
local government promote natural synergies between climate change
and other indicators.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 12
The Nottingham Declaration has been useful in
providing a starting point for action by local authorities but
these public commitments must be turned into real actions; this
must be about more than a framed copy of a declaration hung in
the reception area of a council building. Assessment and verification
is important and the Government should work with the Nottingham
Partners to develop a scheme that combines self-assessment and
external verification of actions. The Government and the Audit
Commission should examine what role such a scheme could play in
assessing the performance of local authorities as part of Comprehensive
Area Assessments and therefore what priority should be given to
developing some kind of externally verified scheme. (Paragraph
42)
95. The Nottingham Declaration has been of tremendous
value in raising the profile of climate change in local government
and has been supported by the Government since its inception.
The Nottingham Declaration partnership is represented on the LRAP
Board (see paragraph 24). As one of its greatest strengths
lies in it being a local government initiative, the Government
would naturally be reluctant to assume responsibility for charting
the Nottingham Declaration's future direction. We would nevertheless
encourage any development in the scheme which would result in
more effective effort to combat climate change and would be willing
to work with the Audit Commission, the Carbon Trust and other
bodies in providing any guidance and expertise which the Nottingham
Declaration Partners may require. The Government liaises closely
with the Nottingham Declaration partnership; for example they
are standing members of the LRAP Board and will explore options
with them for its future development.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 15
The Government should consider what part carbon
impact assessments should play in local, regional and devolved
government. It should assess what support would be needed to allow
carbon impact assessments to play a central role in local, regional
and devolved government decision and policy making process and
then issue guidance to encourage their use. It must also look
at the extent to which the organisation of budgets and funding
streams is a barrier to a whole-life costing approach. (Paragraph
47)
96. The Government agrees with the EAC on the
importance of assessing the carbon impact of policies. We expect
that the introduction of the new climate change indicators will
act as a catalyst for the systematic use of carbon appraisal,
especially by those local authorities which have signed up to
carbon reduction targets. The Government will nevertheless consider
how it could provide support for the greater use of carbon impact
assessment in local and regional government and the possibility
of providing guidance.
97. Sustainability appraisals supporting preparation
of regional and local planning strategies, already assess the
likely effects of new development, including likely impacts on
carbon emissions. Our planning policies on climate change, including
the new PPS on climate change, expect regional and local government
to plan new development to limit carbon dioxide emissions and
sustainability appraisal to be used to shape planning strategies
that help achieve this.
98. We do not believe that the organisation of
budgets and funding streams in local government represents a barrier
to a whole-life costing approach. local authority revenue funds
can be transferred to capital budgets to fund capital expenditure.
Savings from revenue may also contribute to the cost of self-financed
borrowing for capital expenditure, including investment in measures
to address climate change. Furthermore, the Prudential System
allows local authorities to borrow for capital expenditure without
Government consent, provided that they and their auditors are
satisfied that they can afford to meet the borrowing costs. These
associated borrowing costs must be met from revenue.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 16
We believe that the current approach to a statutory
power to tackle climate change is correct. There are already powers
for local government that permit action and the lack of a statutory
duty does not seem to be holding back the more innovative local
authorities. The Government should examine carefully the case
for improving the statutory underpinning for action on climate
change; each new bill should be examined to see what scope there
is for requirements on local, regional and devolved government
to be inserted in order to focus attention and increase activity.
The Government should be ready to intervene early if there are
any indications that the steps it has taken are not delivering
the kind of change in the level of activity on climate change
that is needed. (Paragraph 51)
99. The Government welcomes the Committee's support
for its approach on duties. The Government is continually reviewing
the need for legislation on climate change, including action that
can be undertaken by sub-national government. Where a need for
legislation is identified, the appropriate legislative vehicle
will be used to take this forward. This has recently been demonstrated
by the duty in the Planning Bill (see paragraph 77) and
the GLA Act (2007) was also used as a vehicle for requiring action
on climate change by the GLA and London Assembly.
100. The Government will be prepared to intervene
if it believes that the steps it has taken are not delivering
the scale of change which it believes is necessary. It is important
to point out that the new climate change indicators in the local
government performance framework, which the Government regards
as key for encouraging greater action at a sub-national level,
have only recently been introduced and it is too early at this
stage to gauge their impact. We will monitor these indicators
and consider how they can be built upon in further iterations
of the performance framework. As mentioned above (paragraph
71), the Climate Change Bill will give the Secretary of State
new powers to intervene in respect of climate change adaptation.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 17
There is a difference between a discretionary
power, like the well-being powers introduced by the Local Government
Act 2000, which allows a council to take some action, and a statutory
duty that forces them to take some action. With discretionary
powers advice, guidance and action to spread best practice become
crucial. The poor take up of the well-being powers shows there
are lessons to be learned from their introduction and welcome
the fact that guidance will be published shortly following on
from an evaluation of them. The Government should take steps to
encourage councils to use the powers available to them creatively
and innovatively to reduce emissions and drive forward work on
adaptation. (Paragraph 55)
101. Over recent years, the evidence is clear
that a top-down, one-size-fits-all approach is not the most effective
in achieving the outcomes we all want to see, particularly in
terms of influencing the views and behaviour of citizens.
102. It is important to recognise that every
place is different with distinctive strengths and needs. The new
local performance framework therefore enables us to deliver on
national priorities, such as addressing climate change, in a way
that reflects the particular needs and concerns of local people.
Moreover, beyond the national performance measures, the framework
allows creativity for local areas to develop their own indicators—there
have been well over 100 such local measures across the country
addressing environmental sustainability issues.
103. The combination of national performance
measures and local targets through the new local performance framework
demonstrates that we are beginning to tap the creativity and innovation
of local areas to develop their well-being powers into environmental
outcomes for local people. Each LAA is subject to an annual review,
the first of which occurs this autumn/winter, and this will provide
an opportunity to gather evidence about delivery against the ambitious
targets local areas have set to address climate change.
104. CLG will shortly be publishing 'Practical
use of the Well-Being Power', which draws on evaluation findings
to highlight ways in which the Power has been used and suggest
ways it could be used more in the future. Case studies include
the use of the Well-Being Power to establish a waste transfer
station and to develop wood heat technology in schools.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 18
Building skills and knowledge in local and regional
government is key. There is a real risk that, if the changes in
the performance management and policy frameworks deliver a step-change
in activity, the bodies providing support could be overwhelmed
by demand. The Government should review the level of support available
and ensure that action is taken to address any gaps in skills,
including identifying how this extra support and action to address
gaps in skills is to be funded. This will be vital in the priority
areas identified by the LGA's Commission on Climate Change. (Paragraph
61)
105. The Government agrees that developing the
local government skills and knowledge base is critical in enabling
strong performance in addressing climate change. In establishing
the National Improvement and Efficiency Strategy (NIES), which
was agreed by central and local government and supported with
£380m of funding over the next 3 years, support for the new
local authority performance framework has been considered.
106. The NIES established the key principles
of simplification, devolution and rationalisation. One of the
key issues it will try to address is evidence that current arrangements
have caused confusion and duplication and not always offered value
for money. The real challenge is making sure the right support
is available and is simple to access. There may be scope for rationalising
and simplifying existing arrangements and RIEPS which are a key
part of the delivery arrangements agreed may be crucial in this
endeavour. An important workstream will be mapping existing support
arrangements so that we can better identify roles and responsibilities,
unnecessary overlaps and duplication and address gaps in skills
and value for money.
107. The joint DECC and CLG funded £4m Climate
Change Best Practice Programme, announced in March 2008, will
operate in conjunction with the RIEPs and be largely delivered
by them at a regional level. The Programme will provide support
and encouragement to local authorities to help them deliver effectively
specifically against the climate change requirements of the new
local government performance framework. The Improvement &
Development Agency (IDeA) has been appointed to act as the national
programme coordinator. An advisory panel bringing together central
government, RIEPs, local government and delivery bodies such as
the Carbon Trust, the Energy Saving Trust and the UKCIP helps
to guide and steer the development and delivery of the programme.
108. In addition to the support offered through
the RIEPs, local and regional government will continue to be supported
by the Carbon Trust and Energy Saving Trust. The Carbon Trust's
five-step Carbon Management programme brings together change management
and technical expertise to help local authorities develop long-term
strategies for carbon savings. It offers tailored support to local
authorities, focusing on peer mentoring and knowledge sharing
between authorities. The Carbon Trust's Bespoke Service provides
local authorities with more tailored technical support. It can
help build on the strategic foundation that Carbon Management
provides in order to take a detailed step towards the implementation
of technical projects. The service is match-funded 50/50 between
the Carbon Trust and the local authority.
109. Partnerships for Renewables (PfR) has been
established by the Carbon Trust to work in partnership with public
sector bodies to develop, construct and operate renewable energy
projects on public sector land. PfR finances the costs of project
development and resultant capital expenditure, thereby providing
a low-risk opportunity to access the economic and environmental
benefits associated with renewable energy.
110. In collaboration with South East England
Development Agency (SEEDA), the Carbon Trust has developed a model
for working with RDAs, providing services to small businesses
through Business Link, with the aim of developing a model which
can be rolled out across England. This may include developing,
cost-effectively, more hands-on implementation services to smaller
customers. As part of this, the Carbon Trust's key account managers
in the English Regions have helped train Business Link advisors
for Yorkshire Forward and SEEDA on how to work with their own
customers to find carbon reduction opportunities.
111. The Energy Saving Trust's community partnership
work stream provides advice and support and some funding to local
authorities, regional bodies, social housing providers and the
community sector. These include Practical Help, a tailored source
of information and support on delivering energy efficiency to
their communities as well as one-to-one support.
112. The Government Office network has organised
workshops in each English region involving both the Carbon Trust
and Energy Saving Trust to provide guidance to local authorities
in performing effectively against the indicators on climate change
mitigation in the local authority performance framework. The current
series is underway and is due to be completed by the end of November
2008.
113. The DfT will shortly consult on draft Local
Transport Plan guidance to inform local authorities' transport
planning in the future (see paragraph 78). A key area for this
guidance to address will be the need to build and maintain capacity
in local authorities to deal with a range of issues, including
climate change adaptation and mitigation.
114. Specifically on adaptation, support has
been provided by the Government to local and regional authorities
since 1997 through UKCIP. UKCIP supports organisations, including
local authorities, by providing the evidence and tools to help
them assess the risks from a changing climate. In recognition
of the additional demands, Defra has recently increased funding
to UKCIP to expand its knowledge transfer activity to local government.
In addition, as mentioned above (see paragraph 24), we are working
with the LRAP Board partners including UKCIP to deliver a 3 year
programme of support to local and regional bodies on adaptation.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 20
We urge the Government to review how the Review
of Sub-National Economic Development and Regeneration addresses
sustainable development and ensure that the opportunities it offers
for improving local and regional co-operation on climate change
issues are taken. (Paragraph 69)
115. The Government agrees with the EAC that
the need to tackle climate change should be a central consideration
in regional governance. This is reflected by the emphasis placed
in the SNR on addressing climate change (see paragraph 18).
The new regional strategy would continue to be subject to effective
sustainability appraisal and be in line with the Planning Policy
Statement on Climate Change. They will also be expected to support
the move to a low carbon economy to deliver the objectives set
out in the Climate Change and Energy Bills.
116. Ministers are expected to make an announcement
in due course on the Government's response to the SNR consultation,
including on how the recommendation for an integrated regional
strategy will be taken forward.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 21
We commend the good co-operation between central
Government and the devolved administrations on climate change.
The Government must maintain the good will that exists in this
area is by ensuring it consults the devolved administrations as
early as possible on cross-border issues. The Government, in consultation
with the devolved administrations, should review the devolution
settlements to see if there are any areas where action on climate
change is being hampered either by asymmetric devolution or by
the way reserved and devolved powers interact. (Paragraph 71)
117. The Government values the cooperative and
productive working arrangements with the devolved administrations
that have developed in the field of climate change. We will continue
to consult closely with the administrations on such matters and
will consider ways in which our joint working can be improved.
A recent instance of effective joint working was the discussion
and agreement on renewable energy at the plenary meeting on 25
June 2008 of the Joint Ministerial Committee—the first for
some years—which brings together the government and the
most senior figures in the devolved administrations. The Committee
will in the future offer a forum in which ministers of the UK
Government and devolved administrations can if necessary discuss
further improvements to working relations in this field.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION 22
Adaptation must be a higher priority. We are concerned
that adaptation has been treated as the poor relation of work
on mitigation and not nearly enough attention has been paid to
it. The Government must accelerate plans to bring forward the
national adaptation framework and then ensure that adaptation
is properly reflected in the work of local, regional and devolved
government across the UK. (Paragraph 77)
118. We welcome the Committee's recognition of
the importance of a two pronged approach to climate change which
looks to tackle both mitigation and adaptation. Since the Committee's
enquiry, on 24 July 2008 the Government launched Adapting to
Climate Change in England: a framework for action and the
Adapting to Climate Change website (see paragraph 29).
The framework sets out current Government action on adaptation
and charts the path to a statutory adaptation programme which
we expect to be in place in 2012.
119. As indicated above, 56 LAAs have included
NI188 as a priority and several more have included it as a local
indicator. We will continue to work through the LRAP Board and
the wider Governmental adaptation programme to ensure that local
and regional government has access to the information they require
to adapt.
120. As stated above (paragraph 71), the
Climate Change Bill will bring in new powers for the Secretary
of State to direct reporting authorities (public bodies and statutory
undertakers) to report on the risks to their organisation from
Climate Change and their programmes for adapting to those risks.
The Secretary of State may also issue statutory guidance for the
use of reporting authorities subject to a direction to help them
with this. The Bill will also introduce a new Adaptation Sub-Committee
to the Committee on Climate Change which will provide robust scientific
and technical advice to the Committee, and through them to Government,
on the UK Government's climate change risk assessment and programme
for adaptation. The combination of these measures should raise
the profile of adaptation to climate change substantially.
1 This takes into account the 20% increase announced
on 11 September. Back
| 
