Book Description
The Climate Change Act 2008 committed the UK to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80 percent by 2050. The 2010-2015 Parliament has been a defining period for energy and climate change policy. Three Energy Acts set the policy framework to help the UK achieve its goal. Each Act was designed to support new forms of energy generation, promote energy efficiency and protect consumers. These ambitious pieces of legislation have set the benchmark against which the progress towards providing a secure, clean and affordable energy supply will be judged. The Energy and Climate Change Committee plays a central role in scrutinising and improving the Government's policy and legislation. In section two of this report, the Committee provides a quantitative overview of the work it has undertaken in this Parliament. In section three, the Committee looks in more detail at three case studies - electricity market reform, competition in the energy market and shale gas - each of which highlights the key role the Committee has played in holding the Government to account and improving policy and legislation. Finally, in section four the Committee sets out our future vision for the UK energy system, based on the views and evidence provided by the wide range of stakeholders that it works with. The Committee also explores the challenges which will need to be overcome in the next Parliament if the UK is to achieve its ambitious long-term climate and energy goals.
