Commentary on Sections Carbon budgeting Section 4: Carbon budgets
39.Subsection (1) of this section places a duty on the Secretary of State to set five-year “carbon budgets”, defined as an amount for the net UK carbon account for a given period (a “budgetary period”). The Secretary of State is also placed under a duty to ensure that the net UK carbon account stays within the budget for each period.
40.Subsection (2) requires the Secretary of State to set three consecutive carbon budgets for the periods 2008–2012, 2013–2017 and 2018–2022 by 1st June 2009. It also creates a duty to set subsequent carbon budgets at least 11½ years before the start of the budgetary period. The intent of the section is to provide certainty in respect of the UK’s carbon budgets in the medium term.