The UK has made significant progress in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, which will continue to fall in future years, demonstrating that it is possible to move to a lower carbon economy while maintaining economic growth and competitiveness.  Below are several web sites that provide information across a broad range of topics related to the UK experience. They include government and NGO research and reports; economic impacts; carbon and climate policies; academic research and institutions on the science of climate change; and business case studies.

Government Departments and Organizations

British Embassy
http://ukinusa.fco.gov.uk/en/working-with-usa/climate-change

British Antarctic Survey (One of the world's leading environmental research centers; responsible for the UK's national scientific activities in Antarctica.):
http://www.bas.ac.uk/

Dept. for Climate Change and Energy (DECC):
http://www.decc.gov.uk/

Living with Environmental Change (LWEC):
http://www.lwec.org.uk/

Met Office (The UK's National Weather Service): http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/

Met Office Climate Change Science:
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climatechange/guide/

Met Office Human Impacts Map:
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climatechange/guide/effects/high-end.html

NERC (Natural Environment Research Council): http://www.nerc.ac.uk/

Tyndall°Centre for Climate Change Research:
http://www.tyndall.ac.uk

Act on Copenhagen:  http://www.actoncopenhagen.gov.uk

4º Rise Climate Change Impact map : http://www.actoncopenhagen.decc.gov.uk/en/ambition/evidence/4-degrees-map/

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI)
CBI helps create and sustain the conditions in which businesses in the United Kingdom can compete and prosper for the benefit of all. It is the premier lobbying organisation for UK business on national and international issues. It works with the UK government, international legislators and policymakers to help UK businesses compete effectively.

CBI: Monitoring Progress in a Changing Economy
Climate Change remains one of the most critical issue affecting the U.K., but in tough economic times it is at clear risk of slipping down the political agenda.
http://climatechange.cbi.org.uk/uploaded/Climate Change Tracker.pdf

CBI Brief: December 08:
Opportunity Knocks: Business Expectations for a Global Climate Change Agreement in 2009: The conclusion of a comprehensive global climate change agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol which expires in 2012 is essential.  
http://climatechange.cbi.org.uk/uploaded/CBI position on global climate change agreement_Opportunity Knocks business expectations for a global climate change agreement in 2009.pdf

    CBI: Low Carbon Innovation: Developing Technology for the Future
http://climatechange.cbi.org.uk/uploaded/CBI-LowCarbonInnovation.pdf

CBI: Consistency in Corporate Carbon Reporting
http://climatechange.cbi.org.uk/uploaded/cbi-brief-200810-one-vision.pdf

CBI: Renewable Energy: Generating Business
http://climatechange.cbi.org.uk/uploaded/CBI Renewable energy report.pdf

CBI:  Climate Change: Everyone’s Business
The Main focus of this report is the reduction of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (mitigation of Climate Change) which at its simplest can be achieved by reducing the carbon emitted from use of energy and improving energy efficiency.  
http://climatechange.cbi.org.uk/uploaded/climatereport2007full.pdf

Carbon Trust
The Carbon Trust was set up by Government in 2001 as an independent company. Its mission is to accelerate the move to a low carbon economy by working with organisations to reduce carbon emissions and develop commercial low carbon technologies.
www.carbontrust.co.uk

Low Carbon Leader: Texas report
http://www.theclimategroup.org/assets/resources/lcl_texas_final.pdf

The Economics of Climate Change

Stern Review website
www.sternreview.org.uk

Full Stern Review
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/sternreview_index.htm

Executive Summary
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/sternreview_summary.htm

Additional papers/research by Lord Stern http://www.occ.gov.uk/activities/stern_additional.htm

Climate Change Bill 2008
The UK passed legislation that introduces the world’s first long term legally binding framework to tackle the dangers of climate change.
The Climate Change Act of 2008 sets a target for the year 2050 for the reduction of targeted green house gas emissions.
The Climate Change Bill was introduced into Parliament on 14 November 2007 and became law on 26th November 2008.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/uk/legislation
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2008/pdf/ukpga_20080027_en.pdf

Academic Research on the Science of Climate Change
Science & Economics Research
DECC science & economics http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/research/index.htm

UCL Environment Institute
www.ucl.ac.uk/environment-institute

Imperial College Grantham Institute
http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/climatechange

LSE Grantham Institute
http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/granthamInstitute/

Living with Environmental Change programme http://www.nerc.ac.uk/research/programmes/lwec

The global portal for companies and local governments that have made money 
by reducing the emission of gases that cause climate change.
http://www.climatesuccess.org/

Climate Change and Coastal Impacts Conferences in Texas

 Socio-economic impacts of sea level rise, climate change impacts on large  
 Texas cities and implications of climate change for water resources. All studies are posted (or will soon be posted) on the conference website at: 
 http://www.liveoakinitiative.com/TCEC09.html

 The Houston Advanced Research Center also announced the release of the  
 Texas Climate Initiative and Texas Climate News, two unique informational 
resources on climate change and sustainability available at  
 www.texasclimate.org and www.texasclimatenews.org respectively.

Climate Change, Extreme Events & Coastal Cities: Houston-London Climate Change Conference (February 2005)  Rice University,  Houston http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~eesi/scs/Coastal Cities.html

US-UK Climate Change and Urban Areas US-UK dialogue in a policy framework,  April 2006, UCL, London http://www.ucl.ac.uk/environment-institute/events/clim-change-06.htm 
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/environment-institute/pdfs/Prog30March.pdf

The West Antarctic Links to Sea-Level Estimation International Workshop, March 2007, The University of Texas at Austin http://www.jsg.utexas.edu/walse

Business & Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities of Doing Business in a Carbon Constrained World, February 2008, Federal Reserve Bank, Houston http://www.hartenergyconferences.com/index.php?area=details&confID=58

 

Low Carbon Success Stories: UK Business Saving Energy and Money 

The “success stories” that follow provide examples of how the Carbon Trust has helped UK businesses improve their bottom line while helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet their CCA targets.  We hope these case studies will inspire other companies to examine the opportunities for efficiency savings in their own operations.

Hanson Cement, formerly Castle Cement, is a cement company located in the UK. The industry as a whole has replaced coal for power generation with alternative fuels for a number of years, prompted by the sector’s climate change levy agreement.

• A new kiln was installed in 2005, reducing carbon emission by around 20% with no productivity reduction.

• Fossil fuel was replaced by meat and bone meal (100% biomass), reducing both operating costs and carbon emissions.

• Up to 60% of the energy from Hanson kilns is from biomass and other waste fuels, against an industry average of 15%.

• A further investment was undertaken as the ETS allowed the firm to put a value on the carbon reduction gained, making the investment cost effective.

Detail
Hanson Cement was able to reduce both its operating costs and its emissions levels through investing in a new energy efficient kiln, which could utilise a range of biomass fuels, replacing five inefficient kilns. Cement kilns can use a range of fuels, as the required temperatures of above 1450° C mean that it is uniquely suited to safely burn both hazardous and non-hazardous wastes. The benefits in terms of improved energy efficiency were included in the climate change agreement targets.

UPM is one of the world’s leading forest product groups, with plants spread over 15 countries including two in the UK. The paper industry requires the use of steam for drying and electricity for machinery and thus is traditionally highly dependent on fossil fuels.

• Following investment in a new plant, the company reduced its purchase of grid electricity by a third.

• It now also produces 65MWth to produce steam by burning deinking sludge and wood waste products. All sludge is now burnt and the resultant ash from the biomass plant is sold as lime.

• Carbon emissions have been reduced by over 60%.

Detail
As a heavy user of energy, the paper industry is increasingly investing in biomass plants to reduce their carbon footprints, dependency on fossil fuels and to provide security of energy supply. UPM invested in a new biomass-burning power generation plant, which allows it to use its waste products to produce energy, significantly reducing its reliance on grid electricity as well as its carbon emissions. Further investment of this type is being carried out by the company, and a plant is being planned which should be able to export half the power it produces to the Scottish grid, generating enough power to meet 6% of the Scottish Government’s renewable energy targets by 2011.

INEOS Chlor is a leading manufacturer of petrochemicals, specialising in chemicals and oil products. The site in Runcorn is the only producer of chlor-alkali products in the UK. Electricity accounts for 70% of the variable production cost.

• As a result of the CCAs in 1999, the company committed to a target of 7% improvement in energy efficiency by 2010 relative to 1998. The company invested in monitoring technologies, saving 43,000te/yr of CO2 emissions.

• £200m was spent on energy-saving technologies which delivered a 12% efficiency improvement, meaning considerable cost savings. Production volume increased without increasing absolute energy usage.

• It is becoming increasingly difficult to further reduce energy consumption on the site, and the firm is building the largest energy waste plant in the UK to provide it with cleaner energy.

Detail
With the introduction of the CCA in 1999, the business rolled out an ‘energy efficiency improvement programme’ across all operating plants. When the plant was sold to INEOS in 2001, a programme of major asset renewal allowed the company to adopt an even tougher carbon reduction target. In addition to the investment in monitoring and new technologies, £40m was spent on introducing more efficient boilers, and £16m on a new process automation system which allowed flexibility in processes that together achieved energy and cost saving. As around half of the fuel used is biomass, the plant is eligible to receive Renewable Obligation Certificates.

Nationally, the project will save 500,00te/yr of carbon-equivalent emissions. However, as the plant is a CHP plant, much of the power produced is exempted from the Climate Change Levy.

Shell, a global energy company, is key provider of the energy in the UK, producing one tenth of the UK’s oil and gas and operating almost a fifth.  Shell’s Stanlow refinery in Cheshire has a refining capacity of 12 million tons per year and produces a range of transport fuels, including Shell V-Power, and chemicals for the industries.

• The Stanlow Manufacturing Complex (SMC) is Shell’s only combined refinery and chemicals site in the UK.

• The business plan for 2008-2010 has a challenging target for CO2 reductions.  The targets will be achieved through a number of measures:

o Structured Heat Exchanger Program to improve heat recovery and minimize energy use
o Dedicated On-Site Steam Team to ensure that steam is used efficiently
o Site-wide Energy Management System which gives real-time monitoring of energy performance

• These measures will not only help reduce the refinery’s emissions, they will also save Shell money.

Detail

Shell installations across Europe are required to know what projects they can do at different levels of CO2 price.  Globally, Shell is increasing the efficiency of its operations, seeking to be amongst the most efficient in the industry.  The Stanlow Manufacturing Complex processes up to 11 million tonnes of crude every year and provides about 1/6th of the UK’s transport fuel needs.

Lafarge is one of the largest industrial companies in the world specialising in cement, construction aggregates, concrete and gypsum wallboard.  Lafarge is the world’s largest cement manufacturer and is the only UK producer with nationwide coverage, supplying around 50 percent of the market.

• In 2000, Lafarge committed to voluntary emissions reductions targets of 20 percent worldwide (relative CO2 emissions) and 10 percent (absolute emissions) in industrialised countries.

• The reductions were made through significant investment in Lafarge’s operations worldwide.

• The reductions have enabled Lafarge to reduce energy consumption, increase the use of alternative raw materials and increase the use of waste-derived fuels.

Detail

In 2000, Lafarge signed a partnership with the World Wildlife Fund to reduce its relative CO2 emissions per tonne of cement worldwide by 20 percent between 1990 and 2000.  It also committed to reduce its absolute emissions in industrialised countries by 10 percent over the same period.  This was before emissions trading schemes were established in both the UK and the EU.  In 2009, Lafarge announced that its absolute emissions in industrialised countries had reduced by 12.5 percent, beating the voluntary target of 10 percent two years early.  Lafarge also made significant progress to achieving the 20 percent relative worldwide target by reaching an 18.4 percent reduction.

Toughglass, one of the leading independent manufacturers of toughened safety glass within the UK and Ireland, employs 180 staff and has a production capacity of 4,000 sq. metres of glass per week.  
• Toughglass ran an energy survey and found that energy bills were its biggest cost, averaging £500,000 per annum.
• Old fans which could only operate at full capacity were generating bills of £58,000. A Carbon Trust loan was used to purchase variable speed drives which created instant savings of £45,000, exceeding the monthly loan repayments three times over.
Detail
Toughglass arranged to have an energy survey of its manufacturing processes to examine its energy usage and found that energy bills were its biggest cost, averaging £500,000 per annum. In response, Toughglass formed an internal energy working party to address the main recommendations identified by the survey, which ranged from lighting and compressed air leaks to recycling and installing infrared sensors. An area of savings that was identified was the fan used in the production process to cool the glass as it exits the furnaces. The existing fans used fixed speed drives which meant they operated at constant full capacity. This alone generated energy costs of £58,000. To achieve this, Toughglass applied for a Carbon Trust Loan to cover the investment of replacing the existing fixed drives with VSDs and was awarded £28,359. By replacing their fixed drives on the primary fan, Toughglass will save £45,000 year on year, covering the monthly loan repayments more than three fold.