The 2006 UK Climate Change Programme is the UK’s key strategy for its work on tackling climate change. It sets out the policies and measures which the UK is using to cut its emissions of greenhouse gases. It also explains how the UK plans to adapt to the impacts of climate change.

The latest annual report to Parliament setting out progress of the UK's Climate Change Programme was published by Defra in July 2008. The document brings together material, most of which has been released previously, to provide a full summary of statistical data and Government activity in the field of climate change in the last 12 months.

The report emphasises the importance of both reducing emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change and outlines emerging policy in this area. It sets out previously published UK emissions data for carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases, along with the steps Government has taken, and proposes to take, to reduce emissions.

Highlights of the report include a number of key statistics:

• Provisional estimates show carbon dioxide emissions during 2007 were around 543.7 million tonnes, 2 per cent lower than the 2006 figure of 554.5 million tonnes. The decrease resulted from fuel switching from coal to natural gas for electricity generation, combined with lower fossil fuel consumption by households and industry.

• Under the Kyoto Protocol, the UK is committed to reducing total greenhouse gas emissions to 12.5 per cent below base year levels by 2008-12. Taking account of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme results, the 2006 final estimates show that emissions of the basket of gases covered by the Protocol fell by 20.6 per cent between the base year and 2006, down from 779.9 to 619.0 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent.

• New carbon dioxide emission projections are estimated at approximately 15.5 per cent below 1990 levels for 2010 and approximately 26 per cent below 1990 levels for 2020.

The Climate Change Bill

The UK, for the first time anywhere in the world, is introducing a long term legally binding framework to tackle the dangers of climate change.

The Climate Change Bill was introduced in Parliament on 14 November 2007 and completed its passage through the House of Lords on 31 March 2008. It has now moved to the House of Commons for consideration. The aim is to receive Royal Assent by autumn 2008.