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Climate Change Committee

Introduction

As a key part of the long-term legal framework set out in the draft Climate Change Bill published in March 2007, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) will be created as a new expert body, which will independently assess how the UK can optimally achieve its emissions reductions goals for 2020 and 2050.

The Committee on Climate Change will be a high profile independent statutory non-departmental public body and will play a crucial part in the UK’s effort to tackle climate change.

The draft Climate Change Bill proposes that the CCC should advise Government:

  • On the level of each five year carbon budget, consistent with the optimal trajectory towards the statutory 2050 and 2020 limits;
  • How much effort should be made in the UK and overseas; and
  • How much effort should be made by the part of the economy covered by cap and trade schemes, and by the rest of the economy.

Role of the Committee on Climate Change

The Committee will have the crucial task of advising the UK Government and Devolved Administrations on the optimum level of carbon budgets consistent with achieving the 2020 and 2050 targets and fulfilling the UK’s international obligations. The CCC will also be required to advise the Government on whether its recommended budget for 2008-12 is consistent with the Government’s existing (and challenging) 2010 target of a 20% CO2 emissions reduction.

In making its recommendations, the CCC must balance a range of economic, social and environmental factors so that its advice takes full account of all relevant criteria, and does not for instance put UK competitiveness at risk by not adequately accounting for the burdens on businesses of an overly steep emissions reduction pathway. The draft Bill lists the following factors for the CCC to consider in recommending the level of each budget:

  • Scientific knowledge about climate change;
  • Technology relevant to climate change;
  • Economic circumstances, and in particular the likely impact of the decision on the economy and the competitiveness of particular sectors of the economy;
  • Fiscal circumstances, and in particular the likely impact of the decision on taxation, public spending and public borrowing;
  • Social circumstances, and in particular the likely impact of the decision on fuel poverty;
  • Energy policy, and in particular the likely impact of the decision on energy supplies and the carbon and energy intensity of the UK; and
  • International circumstances.

The Committee on Climate Change will be the first body of its kind bringing together different strands of expertise from the fields of climate science and policy, economics, business competitiveness and financial management. It will draw on existing information and undertake its own analysis to provide expert advice to Ministers. It may also be required to give advice to Ministers on climate change matters on an ad hoc basis as and when requested.

Status of the Committee

The Committee will be an independent statutory non-departmental public body. It will provide increased transparency, accountability and independence, operating at arm’s length from the UK Government and the Devolved Administrations.

To ensure that the Committee is able to provide its advice on the first three carbon budgets by September 2008 (as required by the draft Bill), the Committee will initially be set up as a “shadow” (non-statutory) body, with its membership rolling over into the statutory body following Royal Assent. The appointments will be brought to an early end if the Climate Change Bill is not approved by Parliament.

Membership and composition

We anticipate that the Committee will be comprised of 5-8 members including the Chair, supported by a standing secretariat of staff to conduct in-depth analysis into the issues being considered.

To ensure its credibility, it is important that the Committee is able to clearly and rationally present the economics of the costs, benefits and risks of abatement decisions. This means that the Committee’s members should be experts in their field, rather than representing specific stakeholder groups. The following list provides an indication of the types of expertise that will be desirable in the overall composition of the Committee:

  • business competitiveness;
  • climate change policy in particular its social impacts.
  • climate science;
  • economic analysis and forecasting;
  • emissions trading;
  • energy production and supply;
  • financial investment; and
  • technology development and diffusion.

Recruitment of the Chair and Members

The UK Government and the Devolved Administrations are currently recruiting a Chair Designate and four members for the Committee on Climate Change.

Full details can be found on the Defra website here: Committee on Climate Change Applications. This link opens in a new window. Opens in a new window.
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