Climate change policies only add £110 to bills in a decade

Carbon emission cutting policies will only increase bills by £110 over the next nine years, according to the Government’s independent climate advisers. Instead the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) firmly […]

Carbon emission cutting policies will only increase bills by £110 over the next nine years, according to the Government’s independent climate advisers.

Instead the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) firmly lays the blame for recent jumps in household costs with rising wholesale gas prices in its analysis released today.

Their findings appear to challenge scepticism from those such as the Adam Smith Institute who have separately predicted huge burdens on consumers. It also calls into question the Chancellor’s recent assertion that Britain is “not going to save the planet by putting our country out of business.”

Lord Adair Turner, chair of the committee (pictured) said: “We were keen to provide a dispassionate analysis of household bill impacts in what has become a politically controversial area. We found that bills have increased primarily in response to increased wholesale gas costs and not due to environmental policies.”

The UK is legally bound to slash greenhouse gas emissions by at least 34% by 2020 and 50% by 2050 (on 1990 levels). The CCC study finds the impact of these carbon budgets, which are enforced with various energy policies and the so-called ‘carbon tax’.

Lord Turner added thatbills could even be kept in line with 2010 levels if energy efficiency is improved.

The CCC is advising that insulation and more efficient use of heating controls could cut gas use by around 8%, while replacing lights and appliances with the most efficient models could lower electricity by a fifth.

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