Your questions answered
Below are the top ten most popular questions and answers on current hot topics to the public, last updated on 9 January 2008.
- Why is the UK target for reducing carbon dioxide emissions only 60% instead of 80%?
- How is Defra going to manage the coexistence of Genetically Modified and conventional crops?
- How can I cut my personal carbon footprint?
- How can we stop Japanese whaling?
- Are Sharks properly protected in International Waters?
- How can we stop hunting taking place on Forestry Commission land?
- What are you doing to tackle fuel poverty?
- Do farmers need financial help to comply with new Nitrates regulations?
- What is the latest on the Avian Influenza outbreak?
- Daylight saving increases Greenhouse gas emissions – why don’t we stay on BST all year round?
1. Why is the UK target for reducing carbon dioxide emissions only 60% instead of 80%?
Many experts and a range of “stakeholders” support the 60% target as an ambitious commitment for the UK that reflects our leading position internationally. On 24 September, the Prime Minister announced that the independent Committee on Climate Change will consider if the target of a 60% reduction in emissions by 2050, which is already bigger than most other countries, should be even stronger still.
The Government’s plans for a new Climate Change Bill will provide a long-term legal framework for reducing emissions. The Bill includes a new system of legally binding 5-year "carbon budgets", set at least 15 years ahead. These will clarify the UK's pathway towards its emissions reductions goals.
The Committee on Climate Change will be an independent statutory body to advise the UK Government and Devolved Administrations on the best way to achieve the 2050 target. The Government will have to explain its reasons to Parliament if it does not accept the Committee’s advice on the level of “carbon budget”, or if it does not meet a budget or target.
2. How is Defra going to manage the coexistence of genetically modified and conventional crops?
Currently, no genetically modified (GM) crops are being grown commercially in the UK. The position will not be changed unless evidence shows that GM crops are safe for human health and the environment. There is also a strict and precautionary European Union (EU) control regime, which requires all GM products to go through a rigorous safety assessment process. We will not agree to an EU authorisation for any GM crop unless we are fully satisfied it is safe.
11,000 people and interested organisations responded to a recent Defra consultation exercise on coexistance. A summary of these responses will be published on our website, along with information on our future plans.
3. How can I cut my personal carbon footprint?
We have launched a new web-based CO2 calculator, which helps individuals and households work out their CO2 footprint. For example, it looks at how much carbon dioxide is emitted through every-day actions, like heating the home, and using domestic appliances.
The calculator provides a personalised action plan, with practical ideas to reduce the size of our carbon footprints. Depending on how many home appliances and cars someone has, and whether energy bills are to hand, the calculator takes around 10 to 15 minutes to complete.
4. How can we stop Japanese whaling?
The UK, together with most of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) members, continues to criticised Japan’s lethal whaling operations.
Japanese whaling vessels are about to engage in a programme of scientific whaling known as JARPA II in the Antarctic. Like most IWC members, the UK does not believe that lethal scientific research can be justified. However, Japan continues to ignore strong international opinion that whaling should be stopped, including on conservation grounds.
The UK Government will continue to make our opposition to whaling known to Japan at every appropriate opportunity and argue that they undermine the credibility of the IWC as an effective organisation for the conservation of whale stocks world-wide. We are lobbying nations to join the IWC and stressing the importance of whale conservation to any countries which continue to support whaling. All countries need to act now before it is too late and we return to the widespread indiscriminate slaughter of the past.
5. What are we doing to stop shark “finning” in international waters?
The process of “finning” (cutting fins from living sharks) is an important welfare issue, and may be responsible for a decline in numbers of some shark species.
The UK only allows shark finning to take place in restricted circumstances where the whole of the shark is being used and the need for separate on-board processing of shark fins has been justified. We are obliged to report to the European Commission on our implementation of Council Regulation 1185/2003 on the removal of shark fins on board vessels.
The European Commission will soon start work towards a plan of action for sharks, skates, and rays, taking account of recommendations from the FAO International Plan of Action. The proposal should be ready to be discussed with EU Member States next year, and set the basis for a future management regime.
6. How can we stop hunting taking place on Forestry Commission land?
Trail hunting is quite a new sport, and many registered hunts now use this approach instead of hunting live animals. Hunts are allowed to use fox scent to lay a trail, as long as animal welfare or other laws are not broken in the process of obtaining the scent. In principle, the Government welcomes the move to trail hunting; provided hunts are genuinely planning to stay within the law.
Individual land owners and managers, including the Forestry Commission (FC), have to decide what activities can take place on their land and whether those activities should be controlled in any way. Agreements that the FC enters into with individual hunts specifically prohibit the use of fox carcasses in laying a trail.
7. What are you doing to tackle fuel poverty?
The Warm Front Scheme is designed to support the most vulnerable fuel poor households. All eligible households are now eligible for the installation of a central heating system, and we have extended the provision of Benefit Entitlement Checks to help boost household income.
The Energy Retail Association launched the Home Heat Helpline in October 2005. The Helpline can be contacted on 0800 33 66 99. It provides vulnerable customers with a central point of information about energy efficiency measures and tariff advice across the different energy suppliers.
The Department of Health's “Keep Warm, Keep Well” campaign also provides advice about the health dangers of cold housing. It suggests practical sources of help and advice to protect vulnerable householders.
8. Do farmers need financial help to comply with the new Nitrates regulations?
The proposals that Defra is putting forward for a revised Action Programme will represent an economic cost to many farmers. Farmers without enough storage capacity to cope with unpredictable weather and unsuitable spreading conditions, will have to re-assess and plan the capacity of their storage facilities to ensure they are adequate and appropriate for their particular circumstances. Some farmers may need to invest in additional storage.
However, we are palnning a number of actions to help compliance with the storage capacity requirement. For example, a lead-in period of two years is proposed to provide enough time for farmers to get adequate storage in place. We are also planning an extensive programme of advice and guidance (including technical and practical workshops) to help farmers to assess what they need to do to comply and how they can best achieve it. In some cases, simple actions such as diverting rainwater away from slurry stores and covering storage tanks should help optimise the capacity of existing stores.
Defra has also committed £98m (under the Rural Development Programme) to the livestock sector, to improve competitiveness, animal welfare and on-farm management of nutrients. This will be delivered through the Regional Development Agencies. These funds will mainly be used to stimulate long-term producer competitiveness or to encourage more innovative nutrient management measures such as anaerobic digestion. However, if additional storage facilities are an integral part of an innovative, sustainable project and achieve outcomes beyond meeting regulatory requirements, the Regional Development Agencies may choose to fund that element of the project.
9. What is the latest on the Avian Influenza outbreak?
10. Daylight saving increases Greenhouse gas emissions – why don’t we stay on BST all year round?
Tim Yeo MP introduced the Energy Savings (Daylight) Bill to advance time by one hour throughout the year, creating lighter evenings, for an experimental period. This would effectively move the UK to Central European Time. Supporters of the Bill think that the change could help save energy and therefore cut carbon emissions, reduce crime, make business travel easier, and reduce the number of road accidents.
Defra Ministers remain sympathetic to the aims of the Bill, which is an interesting idea and could potentially help the environment. Defra will consider the possibilities in more detail during future policy development.
Page first published: 9 January 2008