Good morning and thank you for inviting me to discuss the draft Climate Change (Additional Greenhouse Gas) (Scotland) Order 2015.
The order adds nitrogen trifluoride to the list of greenhouse gases that are covered by the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 and designates 1995 as the baseline year against which progress to reduce emissions will be measured. The addition means that emissions of nitrogen trifluoride will be accounted for in determining progress towards the emissions reduction targets that are set under the act.
Nitrogen trifluoride is a potent greenhouse gas that is highly effective in trapping atmospheric heat. Every tonne of nitrogen trifluoride that is emitted into the atmosphere has a warming potential that is equivalent to that of 17,200 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Globally, the level of nitrogen trifluoride emissions is small but rising. In recognition of the impact on climate change, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has added nitrogen trifluoride to the list of Kyoto greenhouse gases for the second Kyoto commitment period, which runs from 2013 to 2020. It should therefore be reported in national inventories. In light of international agreement, Scottish ministers sought advice from the United Kingdom Committee on Climate Change, which advised that it is appropriate that Scotland’s contribution to meeting the global climate objective should include domestic nitrogen trifluoride emissions.
In the UK, nitrogen trifluoride is emitted in extremely small quantities and its only source is the semiconductor manufacture industry. The UK Committee on Climate Change has advised that UK emissions of nitrogen trifluoride are currently equivalent to less than 1,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, with no significant rises expected before 2050. Inclusion of nitrogen trifluoride in Scotland’s accounting will not require any changes to emissions reduction targets in legislation. Scottish greenhouse gas emissions data for 2013 will be published in June and will include nitrogen trifluoride for the first time. The order will require those emissions to be included in determining progress towards the targets that are set under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009. Adding nitrogen trifluoride to the list of targeted gases under the 2009 act will ensure consistency with international agreements and is consistent with UK Committee on Climate Change advice.
I commend the draft Climate Change (Additional Greenhouse Gas) (Scotland) Order to the committee and I am happy to answer any questions that the committee may have.