National and International Policy Drivers

Many of the national policies that are driving the UK's response to climate change impinge on English local authorities. Local authorities that take the kind of systematic approach to climate change advocated in the Nottingham Declaration will be much better prepared to respond to these new demands.

As the evidence for climate change becomes increasingly compelling, so there is an escalating international and national response. Many international and UK initiatives will impinge directly on English local authorities.

Kyoto Protocol: The UK Government has signed the Kyoto Protocol, an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Protocol commits the UK to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases by 12.5% from 1990 level by 2008-12. At the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali in December 2007, participants agreed that ,deep cuts in global emissions will be required, in future and to enter into discussions for a post-Kyoto agreement to be agreed by the end of 2009.

European Climate Action: The European Commission's document Climate Action establishes the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions expected from each member state between 2005 and 2020 (16% for the UK) and sets a target of 20% share of renewable in energy use in Europe by 2020.

Climate Change Act 2008:

• The UK Government has already accepted that far more significant cuts in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will be required. The Climate Change Act sets legally binding targets for reducing GHG emissions in the UK by at least 80% from 1990 levels by 2050 and by at least 26% by 2020. It introduces: a new system of carbon budgets set at least fifteen years ahead; an independent Committee on Climate Change to advise on the best way to achieve these targets; and provisions to introduce new GHG emission trading schemes;

• The Act places a duty on the secretary of state to regularly report on the risks that the UK faces from climate change impacts and to prepare a programme for addressing these. The secretary of state may also direct public bodies, including local authorities, to report on how they are addressing the risks associated with climate change.

Local Performance Framework: The new local performance framework includes performance indicators (PIs) for: CO2 reduction from local authority (LA) operations; per capita reduction in CO2 emissions in the LA area; and planning to adapt to climate change. 90% of Local Area Agreements include nationally agreed targets on one or more of these indicators. Local authorities' performance on climate change will be assessed within Comprehensive Area Assessments undertaken by the Audit Commission.

LGA Climate Change Commission: In its final report published in December 2007, the Local Government Association (LGA) Climate Change Commission concluded that over the next two years there must be a significant and measurable improvement in the local government response to climate change.

Energy Measures Report: The Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act 2006 places a duty on all local authorities in exercising any of their functions, to have regard to the most recently published energy measures report. Much of the advice in the first Energy Measures report has been absorbed into this website.

Display Energy Certificates: From 1 October 2008 all public authorities must display in a prominent place a Display Energy Certificate on all buildings greater than 1000m2.

Carbon Reduction Commitment: From 2010 the Carbon Reduction Commitment, announced in the Energy White Paper 2007, will apply mandatory emissions trading to cut carbon emissions from large commercial and public sector organisations, including all local authorities with annual electricity use above 6,000MWh.

Regional climate change partnerships: Regional climate change partnerships set objectives and targets for regional action on climate change.