Recommendation 19

HM Government · verbatim extract Accepted

Air quality has improved significantly since 2010 and continuing this trajectory of improvement is a top priority for the Government. We are taking urgent action through our ambitious Clean Air Strategy, our landmark Environment Bill and the delivery of our £3.8 billion plan to clean up transport and tackle roadside NO2 pollution. Cutting congestion and vehicle emissions in our towns and cities is absolutely key to improving air quality and building a greener transport network. The Government is working closely with local authorities to tackle their nitrogen dioxide exceedances. And authorities implementing measures such as Clean Air Zones or other targeted interventions to tackle illegal levels of NO2 can include cycling and walking measures as part of their package of proposals. Government has funded such measures in Local Authorities areas including Leicester, Fareham and Coventry. The Clean Air Strategy outlines a comprehensive programme of action across all parts of Government. In leading this work, Defra works in close collaboration with a range of key Government departments, including the Department for Transport, the Department for Health and Social Care, and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Taking the action set out in the Clean Air Strategy will improve air quality and reduce the incidence of serious illness, improving quality of life for tens of thousands of people. The Government recognises the importance of promoting cycling and walking to reduce emissions and improve health outcomes. That is why the Government has committed £2 billion over this Parliament for active travel, and in July 2020, outlined plans to boost cycling and walking in the ‘Gear Change’ strategy, with a vision for half of all journeys in towns and cities to be made on bicycle or foot by 2030. As a part of the £2 billion commitment, £225 million of emergency active travel funding was provided in 2020–21 to enable more people to cycle and walk to aid social distancing on public transport, and a further £257 million was allocated at Spending Review 2020 to fund new cycling and walking infrastructure and initiatives in 2021–22. 20. Significant Government investment in the development of carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) technology sends an important signal in the run up to COP26 about the UK’s ambition and its confidence in the contribution this sector can make in putting the whole of the UK economy on the path to net zero. While we welcome investment in carbon capture, usage and storage clusters , we recommend that the Government set out a clear strategy for CCUS, with timelines and impacts, and support the development of the technologies needed where absolute zero carbon cannot be achieved. (Paragraph 148 of the EAC report) Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) will be an important component of the Government’s Net Zero Strategy. This is why the Chancellor increased the CCS Infrastructure Fund to a total of £1 billion at the Spending Review 2020. The Government continues to develop CCS policy at pace. At the end of 2020 the Government published an update on business models for Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage and earlier this year the Government published a consultation on cluster sequencing, which outlined our preferred approach and timelines to launch the cluster sequencing process. The Government will shortly be publishing its response to this consultation, alongside updates on business models, ahead of the launch of the cluster sequencing process. Ahead of COP26 the Government will also set out net zero consistent cap trajectory for the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS); the resulting carbon price signal should incentivise uptake of CCS technologies. The Government recognises the need to offset residual emissions from difficult to decarbonise sectors, such as agriculture and aviation, in order to meet the UK’s net zero target. Therefore, the Government dedicated £100 million towards Greenhouse Gas Removal technologies (GGRs) last year, and published a Call for Evidence on GGRs in December 2020. This aimed to strengthen understanding of these strategic technologies and the policy levers that could support their emergence. The Government will publish its response to this feedback in due course. 21. The Government must publish a hydrogen strategy as soon as possible, setting out clear mechanisms to support the development of green hydrogen systems in the UK. (Paragraph 149 of the EAC report) The Government is committed to exploring the development of hydrogen as a strategic decarbonised energy carrier, alongside electricity and other decarbonised gases. Hydrogen could be an important part of the transition to net zero and has the potential to help the economy recover in a stronger, cleaner, more sustainable way. Working with industry the Government aims to generate 5GW of low-carbon hydrogen by 2030. This will be supported by a range of measures, including a £240 million Net Zero Hydrogen Fund.