Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Fifth Report - Heat resilience and sustainable cooling
Environmental Audit Committee
HC 279
Published 31 January 2024
Recommendations
2
Deferred
Incorporate explicit humidity level messaging into Met Office and UKHSA weather forecasts and heat alerts.
Recommendation
We recommend that the Met Office and UKHSA incorporate explicit messaging and/ or metrics regarding the effects of humidity levels as well as temperature into weather forecasts and heat-health alerts. (Paragraph 20) The urban heat island effect and nature-based solutions
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Government Response Summary
The government discusses its recognition of green infrastructure benefits, responsibility of local authorities for urban green spaces, and keeping green roof incentives under review, without addressing the recommendation for explicit humidity messaging in weather forecasts.
4
Deferred
Expand urban green space by requiring local authorities to protect green spaces and use framework.
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government take action to expand urban green space, particularly in disadvantaged areas. At a minimum these actions ought to include: (i) introducing a statutory requirement on local authorities to protect green space; (ii) mandating local authorities …
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Government Response Summary
The government states it is running a call for evidence on Part O of the Building Regulations, specifically regarding its application to material changes of use, to inform future reviews and updates. This does not address expanding urban green space, statutory requirements for protection, mandating the Green Infrastructure Framework, or incentivising green roofs.
5
Deferred
Para 48
Evaluate amending Building Regulations Part L to encourage greater use of ceiling fans.
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government evaluate the case for amending Part L of the Building Regulations to encourage the use of ceiling fans (for example, by including locally controlled air movement in the definition of comfort).
Government Response Summary
The government is running a call for evidence on Part O of the Building Regulations to understand omissions or issues, which will inform future updates. This response does not address evaluating the case for amending Part L to encourage the use of ceiling fans.
11
Deferred
Para 68
Respond to consultation and rapidly introduce proposals for low-cost home energy improvement finance.
Recommendation
We urge the Government to respond as soon as possible to its consultation on improving home energy performance through lenders which closed in February 2021. Ministers must rapidly bring forward proposals to encourage access to low-cost finance for householders to …
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Government Response Summary
The government plans to respond to the consultation in 2024. It highlights an existing 'Green Home Finance Accelerator programme' which is supporting the development and piloting of green finance products until March 2025 to inform future policy, rather than rapidly bringing forward new proposals.
12
Deferred
Para 69
Publish all interim or draft recommendations made by the Energy Efficiency Taskforce.
Recommendation
We further recommend that the Government publishes any interim or draft recommendations made by the Energy Efficiency Taskforce before it was disbanded.
Government Response Summary
The government's response discusses UKHSA's position on cooling centers, noting difficulty in evaluating their impact and an absence of specific recommendations for their use, while highlighting a toolkit for local organizations to deliver and evaluate warm spaces and ongoing review of evidence. This does not address publishing Energy Efficiency Taskforce recommendations.
13
Deferred
Set out targets for growth in competent retrofit installer supply chain or establish ambitious new ones.
Recommendation
We urge the Government to set out, in its response to this report, the targets (if any) which Ministers have set for growth in the supply chain of competent retrofit installers, and the progress made against these targets to date. …
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Government Response Summary
The government states DESNZ will continue engaging with the Electricity System Operator and Ofgem on modelling developments and updating electricity demand forecasting, without addressing targets for retrofit installer supply chain growth or progress against such targets.
15
Deferred
Trial the naming of heatwaves for 2024 to enhance public recognition of severe events.
Recommendation
The naming of heatwaves could assist in helping the public to recognise such extreme weather events as a threat to health and wellbeing in the same way as named storms. We recommend that the Met Office trial the naming of …
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Government Response Summary
The government states Defra is reviewing unspecified regulations to achieve greater emissions savings for net zero targets, with proposals to be consulted upon. This response does not address the recommendation to trial the naming of heatwaves.
16
Deferred
Evaluate cooling centre effectiveness and publish advice for authorities supporting vulnerable populations during extreme heat.
Recommendation
While there is potential for cooling centres to be an important part of future resilience measures for those most vulnerable to heat impacts, evidence of their effectiveness is not clear cut at present. We recommend that UKHSA evaluate the potential …
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Government Response Summary
The government deferred the recommendation, stating that evidence on the efficacy of cooling centres is currently limited, which constrains the development of policy advice. UKHSA will work with research partners to address these evidence gaps and continue to review literature on cool space effectiveness.
19
Deferred
Evaluate merits of introducing a cooling equipment takeback scheme to minimise F-gas leakage.
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government evaluate the merits of introducing a takeback scheme in England to improve disposal practices regarding cooling equipment, thereby helping to minimise F-gas leakage, with a view to introducing a pilot takeback scheme in England and …
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Government Response Summary
The government deferred the recommendation, stating that Defra is reviewing the F-gas Regulation and will consult on proposals for changes in due course, rather than specifically committing to evaluate and pilot a takeback scheme now.