Minister gives evidence on energy and climate change
27 April 2009 (updated on 22 April 2010)
The House of Lords EU Committee hears evidence from Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, Minister for Sustainable Development and Energy Innovation at the Department for Energy and Climate Change, from 4.05pm.
- Video and Audio: Energy and Climate Change Package evidence session
- House of Lords EU Internal Market Sub-Committee
- House of Lords EU Environment and Agriculture Sub-Committee
The evidence session is unusual in that Lord Hunt of Kings Heath will be questioned by members of two EU Sub-Committees, the Sub-Committee on the Internal Market, chaired by Lord Freeman and the Sub-Committee on Environment and Agriculture, chaired by Lord Sewel.
The meeting follows the publication of reports by the Committees on the EU’s Renewable Energy Target (Sub-Committee on the Internal Market) and the Revision of the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme (Sub-Committee on Environment and Agriculture).
The Committees will question Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on the EU’s Energy and Climate Change Package agreed at the December European Council. The package includes the Renewable Energy Directive, the Emissions Trading Scheme Directive and the Carbon Capture and Storage Directive as well as a Decision on effort-sharing with regard to emissions reductions in non-ETS sectors.
The Committee will ask Lord Hunt of Kings Heath for the UK Government’s position on the package and how they will implement the new requirements it makes of Member States particularly in light of the economic downturn.
They will also ask what steps the Government is taking to ensure its meets its 2020 renewable energy targets and whether they realistically expect to meet those targets.
The Minister will also be asked about the likelihood that the price of emissions permits will be lower than originally estimated, and what effect this will have on climate change related investment.