Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they include carbon emissions from incineration, including energy from waste, as a separate category in their (1) calculations, and (2) international reporting, of total UK greenhouse gas emissions.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
There are three categories in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory that include greenhouse gas emissions from incineration, all of which are calculated and reported as separate categories:
In line with international guidance, carbon dioxide emissions from the incineration of the biogenic fraction of waste material are estimated, but do not contribute to total emissions reported.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to hold a roundtable meeting with "Party and non-Party stakeholders on pre-2020 implementation and ambition" ahead of COP26, as agreed at COP25.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change agreed at COP25 to hold a roundtable among Parties and non-Party stakeholders on pre-2020 implementation and ambition at COP26, which will take place in Glasgow.
The UK government will be involved in preparations as part of its role as incoming President for COP26.
The UK Government is also regularly engaging with Party and non-Party stakeholders, led by the COP26 President, the High Level Champion and the COP26 Envoy.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Office for Nuclear Regulation has a threshold beyond which the construction of new nuclear power stations would be disallowed on a specific section of coastline as a result of Met Office projections for (1) sea levels, or (2) the frequency of storm surges.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The independent Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) considers nuclear site licence applications and related regulatory matters on a case-by-case basis. In order to ensure the impact of climate change and the adequacy of project specific mitigations are fully and properly considered, the ONR does not prescribe thresholds in advance. The regulator requires appropriate safety margins and considers the latest official climate change predictions, prepared with the Meteorological Office and the Environment Agency.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Duncan of Springbank on 5 November 2019 (HL460), what were the equivalent green house gas emissions from incineration in the waste and energy supply sectors in (1) 2017, (2) 2018, and (3) 2019.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
In 2017, an estimated 5.2 Mt (million tonnes) of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalents) were emitted from incineration in the energy supply sector and 0.3 Mt of CO2e were emitted from incineration in the waste sector.
In 2018, an estimated 6.0 Mt of CO2e were emitted from incineration in the energy supply sector and 0.3 of CO2e were emitted from incineration in the waste sector.
Emissions from biogenic waste material are not included in these figures, consistent with domestic and international reporting of greenhouse gas emissions.
We are not currently able to provide equivalent statistics for 2019 as these are not yet available. The Final Statistics for UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions 1990-2019 will be published in February 2021.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Duncan of Springbank on 5 November 2019 (HL460), what were the greenhouse gas emissions produced per tonne of waste processed in an energy from waste incinerator in (1) 2012, and (2) 2018.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
There are two categories in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory that include waste being processed in an energy from waste incinerator:
In 2012, an estimated 0.4 tonnes of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalents) were emitted per tonne of waste processed in UK “Power Stations” and 0.8 tonnes of CO2e were emitted per tonne of waste processed in an energy from waste incinerator in UK “Miscellaneous industrial/commercial combustion”.
In 2018, an estimated 0.4 tonnes of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalents) were emitted per tonne of waste processed in UK “Power Stations” and 0.6 tonnes of CO2e were emitted per tonne of waste processed in an energy from waste incinerator in UK “Miscellaneous industrial/commercial combustion”.
Emissions from biogenic waste material are not included in these figures, consistent with domestic and international reporting of greenhouse gas emissions.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Duncan of Springbank on 5 November 2019 (HL460), how they calculate the greenhouse gas emissions from a tonne of domestic waste being processed in an energy from waste incinerator.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
Domestic, or household, waste is currently included within the fuel category “MSW” (Municipal Solid Waste) in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory. MSW refers to waste collected by municipalities or other local authorities and includes sources other than domestic waste.
The emissions per tonne of MSW processed in an energy from waste incinerator is calculated using the 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Guidelines. Figures are provided for methane and nitrous oxide along with separate figures for carbon (fossil) emissions from biodegradable MSW and non-biodegradable MSW. The proportions of total MSW that is biodegradable and non-biodegradable is calculated using data from DUKES (the Digest of UK Energy Statistics). These four figures are combined to give total greenhouse gas emissions emitted per tonne of MSW processed in an energy from waste incinerator.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what amount of greenhouse gases the UK produced from incineration, including through waste to energy incinerators, in 2016.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
Statistics on UK greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by source sector are published annually by the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI) and are available on the NAEI website.
In 2016, approximately 5.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent GHG emissions were emitted from incineration in the waste and energy supply sectors in the UK. Of this, 4.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent GHG emissions were emitted in the energy supply sector. Emissions from biogenic waste material are not included, consistent with domestic and international reporting of GHG emissions.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the projected sea level rise around the site of the new Hinkley Point nuclear power plant; and how this assessment varies from projections in 2009.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
Companies involved in the civil nuclear industry are required to meet robust standards overseen by independent regulators. In March this year, the Office for Nuclear Regulation, the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales jointly published guidance on how the Meteorological Office’s 2018 climate projections should be taken into account. It is for the regulated entities to plan for changes in sea-level and to demonstrate to regulators that their plans are adequate.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what amount of greenhouse gases the UK produced from incineration including through waste to energy incinerators in 2016.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
Statistics on UK greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by source sector are published annually by the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI) and are available on the NAEI website.
In 2016, approximately 5.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent GHG emissions were emitted from incineration in the waste and energy supply sectors in the UK. Of this, 4.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent GHG emissions were emitted in the energy supply sector. Emissions from biogenic waste material are not included, consistent with domestic and international reporting of GHG emissions.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what differences exist between the projections of sea level rises by (1) the Office for Nuclear Regulation, and (2) the Met Office; and what assessment they have made of the reasons for any such differences.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The UK Climate Projections 2018 (UKCP18) have been produced by the Met Office as part of the Hadley Centre climate programme, co -funded by BEIS and Defra. The Office for Nuclear Regulation does not produce its own projections for sea level rise and considers that the use of the UKCP18 is relevant good practice in determining climate change allowances for applicable natural hazards at GB licensed sites.