Using the BBC as a platform for spreading “mis-information” relating to the UK’s carbon reduction achievements to date.

28 October 2021

Dear Today Programme,

I enjoy listening to your programme each morning and in particular the interviews after Thought for the Day.

Today Mr Sunak was discussing his Budget, and the presenter correctly strongly rebutted Mr Sunak’s claim that a change in benefit was a tax reduction.  However, he was allowed to use the BBC as a platform for spreading “mis-information” relating to the UK’s carbon reduction achievements to date.  He is not alone on incorrectly quoting the facts, and this level of deception should not go unchallenged.  Below I use Government figures that show the true situation.

Whilst the UK appears to be doing well at reducing carbon emissions, the CCC’s measure (as defined by the UN) gives an optimistic slant on progress. 

• It does not consider embedded carbon of imports.  As you are aware, we import significant amounts of goods and food.  Thus, say BMW, Mercedes or many Malaysian manufactured cars are not included in the CCC’s figures, neither are many makes of washing machines, cookers etc, or cement or plasterboard, boilers, glass etc.. 
• Indeed, as our economy is strongest in the service sector.  We do not manufacture goods as we used to, before the Conservative Government of 1979.  Much of what we use in construction, or in households is not counted by the CCC.  In effect, we have ‘exported’ our carbon emissions. 

However, DEFRA do provide an estimate of the true improvements and these are not as flattering.  In 2013 the CCC identified this omission but has not addressed the issue in their guidance to the government.  I suspect they have not been encouraged to correct the figures as it would show that the UK is not as good as we falsely appear.  DEFRA has produced a report called UK's Carbon Footprint 1997 – 2016 which is very helpful as this does include both production and consumption generated emissions figures.  It should be noted that DEFRA qualifies the consumption figures reliability as follows:

“Inherently the emissions relating to overseas production of imports to the UK, often referred to as emissions that are ‘embedded’ in imports, are not as easily measured as emissions generated within the UK borders. There are general conventions on how to do this but the results cannot be viewed as being as robust as the estimates of carbon emissions generated domestically.”

Carbon dioxide equivalent emissions including both those emitted by, and as a consequence of goods consumed in the UK between 1997 to 2016 are shown below:

 Figure 1 - Source - DEFRA UK's Carbon Footprint 1997 - 2016

It shows a different reality to how the CCC report the figures.  Interestingly, these figures are not referred to by the Government.  Indeed, I have never heard them referred to by the Government, and one must wonder why?

In 2016,  the carbon footprint of the UK was 21% lower than the 2007 peak. The graph above shows that the proportion of the total carbon dioxide equivalent footprint accounted for by imports was higher in 2016 (at 45%) than in 1997 (32%).  The proportion of the total carbon dioxide equivalent footprint generated directly by UK households has remained between 15 and 19% between 1997 and 2016.  This marginal increase is most likely the result of an increase in housing stock in the period.

As you will remember, the UK economy, and the world economy had a severe recession in 2008, which reduced both consumption of imported goods and production of UK goods.

Moving to the progress of the Government, again, Mr Sunak’s view glides the lily somewhat.  I refer to CCC’s report dated June 2021 (attached for your ease ease).  The salient paragraph (on page 6 of the attached document) is damming for the Government:

"It has therefore been a year of climate contradictions. Important statements of ambition, like the agreement to phase out the sale of petrol and diesel cars and vans, have been undermined by delays to essential legislation and much-needed plans to decarbonise buildings and improve their climate resilience. We await a Treasury Net Zero Review, once promised in autumn 2020. The transport decarbonisation plan is still slated, somewhat optimistically, for spring 2021. A pattern has emerged of Government strategies that are later than planned and, when they do emerge, short of the required policy ambition."

I accept that the Government has issued its strategy recently, I have not had time to review this document, but the general feedback that I read is not overly positive.

I am concerned that both MP’s and Ministers can say such blatant untruths using the platform of the BBC to give credibility.  I trust that in future you will hold the cabinets Government’s ‘feet to the fire’ on climate change false claims. 

If you have any queries on the above, please come back to me.  In the meantime, I will continue listening to your great programme!

With best wishes,

Julian Sutton
Download the Climate Change Committee's report Progress in Reducing Emissions 2021

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