LONDON ENVIRONMENT STRATEGY 183 Chapter 6: Climate change mitigation and energy LONDON ENVIRONMENT STRATEGY 185 INTRODUCTION Making London zero carbon can ensure • decarbonise London’s homes and AIM long-term economic growth and new workplaces while protecting the most If the world continues emitting business opportunities, alongside vulnerable by tackling fuel poverty London will be a greenhouse gases (GHGs) at today’s wider environmental benefits, such as levels, average global temperatures improved air quality and a healthier • develop clean and smart, integrated zero carbon city by could rise by up to five degrees Celsius society. The Mayor’s Energy for energy systems using local and 66 by the end of this century. London, Londoners programme aims to transform renewable energy resources 2050, with energy among other global cities, must play London’s energy system by reducing a leading role in helping to reduce energy demand and improving the • deliver a zero emission transport efficient buildings, these emissions. security of supply by ensuring more network by 2050. local energy is produced. This will help clean transport and The Mayor will re-establish London’s keep energy bills fairer, thus protecting position as a leader in tackling climate the most vulnerable, and reducing LONDON’S ENVIRONMENT NOW clean energy. change by setting a target for London carbon emissions. to become zero carbon by 2050. The key evidence to support the Mayor’s Making London zero carbon will require This change will not be without its ambitions for a zero carbon London by economy-wide decarbonisation. This challenges. Many of the technologies 2050 is summarised below. You can find will involve changes to the way in and fuels needed to achieve this goal out more about the evidence behind the which Londoners travel, work and live, already exist, however, more energy policies and proposals in Appendix 2. including how energy is sourced and infrastructure will be needed to generated. Energy efficiency will have to support London’s growing population The UN Paris Climate Agreement increase dramatically, leading to homes and this must be low carbon. National commits to keeping global warming and workplaces being highly insulated. government, London boroughs, below 2°C. This agreement has shown The fossil fuels used for heating and communities and Londoners themselves that cities can work together to plot a powering buildings, transport, and must play a part in leading this change. path to a lower carbon future. In addition, industry will have to be replaced by the 2008 Climate Change Act requires renewable electricity and gas. London’s To fully decarbonise London, GHG an at least 80 per cent reduction in CO2 grids will need to become smarter at emissions will need to be reduced from emissions (compared to 1990 levels) for balancing energy demand with available around 38 megatons today to near zero the whole of the UK. For more details on supply, and low carbon travel will be the by 2050. To make this happen, London the legislative and policy background default option. will require careful but far reaching see Appendix 4, and for information on reforms, which are underpinned by three the main responsibilities of a range of high-level objectives: organisations see Appendix 3. 66 IPCC AR5 range for BaU is 2.6 to 4.8 by 2100: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/ LONDON ENVIRONMENT STRATEGY 187 London has reduced its emissions London’s current carbon emissions despite a growth in population, and BOX 18: WHY CARBON BOX 18: WHY CARBON In 2014, London’s GHG emissions were has shown that carbon reduction and (CONTINUED) estimated at around 38 MtCO2e (million economic growth can go hand in hand. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is by far the tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent), most common GHG emitted by city, reducing the capital’s total around seven per cent of the UK’s Global climate change human activity in terms of quantity reported emissions by around 40 total emissions. London’s emissions There is overwhelming scientific released and total impact on global per cent. Clearly, this would unfairly are reducing, having fallen by 16 per consensus that human activities are warming. As such, carbon and penalise other areas of the country cent since 1990 (Figure 30), largely causing global climate change, mainly CO2 have become the common that generate the energy which due to reduced gas consumption due to the burning of fossil fuels. There shorthand terms used when London consumes. London’s zero and decarbonisation of the national is now around 40 per cent more carbon accounting harmful GHGs. London’s carbon targets therefore include electricity grid. To achieve the Mayor’s in the atmosphere than there was before carbon accounting is measured both direct and indirect emissions, zero carbon target by 2050 the rate 67 the industrial revolution (see Box 18 for where possible in carbon dioxide as defined in scope 1 and 2 of the of emissions reduction must be 69 why the focus is on carbon). Such high equivalent or “CO2e” emissions. Greenhouse Gas Protocol. increased threefold over progress levels have not been experienced on This includes the conversion of to date since 1990. Earth for at least 800,000 years and in other GHGs, such as methane from Manufactured and purchased goods all likelihood not for the last three million landfill, and nitrous oxide and black also have emissions associated with Sources of greenhouse gas emissions years.68 Annual average concentrations carbon from transport emissions, generation at source, most often in London of GHGs have risen from around 280 into their equivalent CO2 emissions outside of the city. These ‘scope London’s GHG emissions are dominated parts per million (ppm) in 1900 to a based on their relative global 3’ emissions are harder to trace by buildings and transport (Figure 29). In record 400 ppm in 2016. The effects of warming potential. For consistency quantitatively but are estimated to 2014 it is estimated that 35 per cent of these GHGs are being felt now. 2016 was with national and international account for as much as three times emissions were generated from London’s the warmest year on record, almost one measurement of CO2e emissions the size of direct emissions. The homes, 42 per cent from workplaces degree Celsius above the 20th century and targets London’s GHG accounting of London’s scope 3 and 23 per cent from transport. global average. The five warmest years emissions are measured against targets are embedded within the Decarbonising London will mean taking on record have all occurred since 2010. a 1990 baseline unless stated principles of a circular approach a targeted approach to each sector. otherwise. to London’s waste (see Chapter 7: This will include retrofitting existing Waste) and although not included buildings as well as making sure that new If London only accounted for the in the pathway to zero carbon, we developments are part of the solution GHG emissions within its boundaries will continue to measure scope towards achieving a zero carbon city. it would ignore all indirect emissions 3 emissions for the city and associated with electricity must avoid merely outsourcing generation outside the our emissions. 67 Atmospheric CO2 content based on ice core records from a combination of studies. Eggleton, R. A (2013). A Short Introduction to Climate Change 68 Yale School of Forestry & Environment Studies (2017) How the World Passed a Carbon Threshold and Why It Matters, Available at: http:// 69 The Greenhouse Gas Protocol is the worlds most widely used international carbon accounting tool. Details of the protocol and it’s e360.yale.edu/features/how-the-world-passed-a-carbon-threshold-400ppm-and-why-it-matters (Accessed: 11/07/2017). standards, guidance and tools are available at: http://www.ghgprotocol.org/. TYPE OF GRAPH: CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY LONDON ENVIRONMENT STRATEGY 189 Reference Fig 1: Greenhouse gas emissions and population in London, 1990 to 2014 Figure 29: 2014 emissions by sector (LEGGI) Figure 30: Greenhouse gas emissions by sector and population trends 1990 to 2014 ) 30 9 % 23 t ( r H 25 o o 8.5 sp m n e ra s T (3 20 5 % 7.5 ) Residential gas, 19% 15 Residential electricity, 16% 7 10 Residential other fuels, 1% 6.5 Non-residential gas, 10% 5 Population (millions) Population Non-residential electricity, 31% GHG emissions London 0 6 Non-residential other, 2% 1990 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Large industrial and waste, 1% Road Transport, 17% Population Domestic Industrial and commercial Transport Rail and shipping, 3% Aviation, 2% (Note: figures pre-2000 are extrapolated from 1990 and sourced from LEGGI and ONS) Source: GLA (2017), London Energy and Greenhouse Gas Inventory Source: GLA (2017), London Energy and Greenhouse Gas Inventory Available at: data.london.gov.uk/dataset?q=leggi ) % 2 4 ( s e As London’s population continues to Under this scenario, existing policies c a l p k r o W grow, existing UK and Mayoral polices driving emissions reduction at a UK and alone will not be enough to meet the city level could take London to a 25 per scale of decarbonisation required. A cent reduction on 1990 levels by 2050. zero carbon scenario has been modelled To get to zero carbon, the modelling for London, which sets the envelope for shows an extra 45 per cent can and must Source: Greater London Authority (2017) emissions reduction out to 2050 and is be achieved through the decarbonisation detailed in Appendix 2. The London Zero of energy grids and other actions at a UK Carbon Pathways Tool is available at level in line with policies and proposals https://maps.london.gov.uk/zerocarbon needed to achieve UK carbon budgets.