In response to its
report on the Planetary Health inquiry, the Environmental Audit
Committee is concerned that the Government is failing properly to
tackle climate change within its largest carbon emitter – the
NHS.
Within the report
published in September 2019, the Committee urged the Government
to end coal and oil powered heating at NHS sites and
to take
action on
fluorinated gases. Decarbonising sites is paramount if the
Government is to meet net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, with the
NHS missing the Climate Change Act target of a reduction in
emissions of 34% by 2020.
While the
Committee welcomed that work is being
undertaken to decarbonise NHS sites, some more so than
others, the Government failed to provide any firm
commitments to bring forwards targets to phase out oil and coal.
The Committee is also concerned that there are no assurances from
Government that climate resilience and adaptation is being
incorporated into performance
indicators.
Environmental
Audit Committee Chairman, MP,
said:
“The NHS is
important to so many of us throughout the
UK, and has been particularly evident during the
magnificent response of all its staff to the global
pandemic. As we get closer to 2050, and the necessity to
reach net-zero carbon emissions, we cannot be complacent of the
significant role the NHS will play. It must decarbonise its
estates urgently, it must phase out oil and gas heating, and must
make better use of zero emission
vehicles.
“The Committee’s
inquiry was clear that unless urgent action is taken to tackle
climate change, there could be significant consequences for human
health and food security. It is imperative that these issues are
considered carefully by the Government, and the Committee will
continue to monitor work in this area.”
One of the Committee’s
key recommendations in its report called on the Government to set
a plan to maintain food security in the UK. The Government has
responded pointing to the Agriculture Bill, currently going
through Parliament, where it will be a requirement for the
Government to report to Parliament on food security every five
years. The issue is also subject to an ongoing review by
Henry Dimbleby, the outcome of which has been
postponed due to COVID-19. The Committee will maintain pressure
on the Government to report progress in this
area.
Further recommendations
and the Government response is as
follows:
-
National and
International biodiversity
targets. The Committee called for
Government to engage with the public on new international
biodiversity targets (replacing the Aichi targets) which were
due to be agreed at the now-delayed biodiversity COP. The
Government confirmed a new Nature Strategy through which the
new international targets will be
implemented.
-
Environmental
Land Management (ELM) Scheme. The Committee called on the
Government to set out the principles underpinning the new ELM.
The Government confirmed the details are subject to an ongoing
consultation on the new scheme.
-
Diet.
The Committee made a number
of recommendations relating to
promoting healthy diets. The Government indicated much of its
work in this area is being covered in
Henry Dimbleby’sreview.
-
Heating and
energy.
The Committee recommended a faster transition away from
domestic gas heating and called on the Government to take steps
to address the decline in home insulation installations. The
Government is yet to publish its response to the consultation
on the future homes standard.
-
Tree planting
and urban green space. Although the response does
not accept the Committee’s recommendation of returning urban
green space to 2001 levels, it does set out the Government’s
plans to develop a National Framework of Green Infrastructure
Standards to define what ‘good’ green infrastructure looks
like.
Notes to editors
