PANAS GLOBAL

Greenhouse gas emissions

Global mean surface temperatures 1856 to 2007

Projected temperature increase for a range ofgreenhouse gas stabilization scenarios (the coloured bands). The black line indicates 'best estimates'; the red and the blue lines the likely limits. From the work of IPCC AR4, 2007.

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other greenhouse gases continue to drive global warming and ocean acidification.^[3] Under the Kyoto protocol the UK Government committed to reducing the levels of CO₂ and five other greenhouse gases by 12.5% below 1990 levels by 2008 to 2012. These commitments have been surpassed and new targets set.

[edit]Current targets

The Climate Change Act 2008 set the country's emission reduction targets. The "legally binding" targets are a reduction of at least 34 percent in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and at least 80 percent by 2050 (against the 1990 baseline).

It also mandates interim, 5-year budgets. The first three are as follows:^[4]

Budget 1 (2008-12): Total cap of 3018 million tonnes CO2 equivalent (22% below 1990 baseline)

Budget 2 (2013-17): 2782 MtCO2e (28% below baseline)

Budget 3 (2018-22): 2544 MtCO2e (34% below baseline)

The European Union has its own emissions target, to which the UK contributes. This currently stands at 20% by 2020 though this may be raised to 30%.^[5] This target helps to direct the European Union Emission Trading Scheme.