Energy white paper: meeting the energy challenge

URN No: 07/1006

Logo of the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)Cover of: Energy White Paper: Meeting the Energy Challenge

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Energy is essential in almost every aspect of our lives and for the success of our economy. We face two long-term energy challenges:

  • tackling climate change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions both within the UK and abroad; and
  • ensuring secure, clean and affordable energy as we become increasingly dependent on imported fuel.

This White Paper, published on 23 May 2007, sets out the Government’s international and domestic energy strategy to respond to these changing circumstances, address the long term energy challenges we face and deliver our four energy policy goals:

  • to put ourselves on a path to cutting CO2 emissions by some 60% by about 2050, with real progress by 2020;
  • to maintain the reliability of energy supplies;
  • to promote competitive markets in the UK and beyond;
  • to ensure that every home is adequately and affordably heated.

It shows how we are implementing the measures set out in the Energy Review Report in 2006, as well as those announced since, including in the Pre-Budget Report in 2006 and the Budget in 2007.

Some of the measures in this White Paper require further public consultation. Alongside the White Paper we launched consultations on nuclear power, the Renewables Obligation and guidance on the 1965 Gas Act. If you would like to take part in the nuclear consultation, see the Future of Nuclear Power website. We will launch further consultations in the coming months. For more information on these, please see the Energy White Paper: Consultations page.

Meeting the Energy Challenge: Full version

Meeting the Energy Challenge: Chapters

Meeting the Energy Challenge: Annexes

Supporting Documents

Weblinks To Other Supporting Documents:

Errata

  1. Line 6 (chapter 2, page 49) should refer to "Figure 2.3", not "Figure 2.2".
  2. Figure 2.3 Electrical products in the UK home and their total UK electricity consumption, 1970 and 2004 (chapter 2, page 69): the numbers in the circles for 1970 and 2004 are not percentages, and refer to the actual number of electrical products in the UK home during the given dates.
  3. Box 4.6 Gas quality issues (chapter 4, page 122): the sentence beginning at line 5 should read:
    In the light of the initial results, we have announced our intention not to propose changes in Great Britain's regulated gas specification to take effect before the end of the next decade.

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