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Decarbonising the UK: Role of Shipping Emissions

14 September 2021

Lead MP

Alexander Stafford

Responding Minister

Michael Tomlinson

Tags

TaxationEmploymentClimateEnergy
Word Count: 2670
Other Contributors: 1

At a Glance

Alexander Stafford raised concerns about decarbonising the uk: role of shipping emissions in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key Requests to Government:

The MP asks for policy support to develop shipping infrastructure capable of transporting CO2 emissions and hydrogen. He also suggests supporting multiple industrial clusters across the UK, beyond the current focus on four designated ones.

How the Debate Unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:

Lead Contributor

Opened the debate
The MP is concerned about the need for significant progress towards net zero targets, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors like cement, glass, steel and petrochemicals. He mentions the importance of carbon capture, utilisation and storage technologies (CCUS) to decarbonise these industries. The MP highlights the potential of existing North Sea infrastructure to support CCUS projects, citing specific examples such as the Acorn Project in Scotland and innovative power stations like Whitetail clean energy NET power station in Teesside.

Government Response

Michael Tomlinson
Government Response
I apologise on behalf of the Minister who was going to respond to the debate due to unforeseen circumstances. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Rother Valley (Alexander Stafford) on securing this important debate, highlighting the timely nature as it coincides with London International Shipping Week and acknowledging the UK's role in decarbonisation efforts. We have made significant progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 13% from 2018 levels in 2019 and published the UK's industrial decarbonisation strategy to further this goal, focusing on carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) and low-carbon hydrogen technologies. The phase 1 CCUS cluster sequencing process aims to provisionally sequence clusters for deployment by the mid-2020s, while the UK's first hydrogen strategy positions the country at the forefront of developing low-carbon hydrogen to drive innovation and investment. Shipping can play a crucial role in enabling the decarbonisation of industrial sectors such as steel, cement, and chemicals, facilitating carbon dioxide transportation for deep decarbonisation across clusters like south Wales, the south coast of England, the Thames estuary, and the firth of Forth. The government is working with industry and devolved Administrations to incorporate non-pipeline transportation and shipping within a UK carbon dioxide network to support these efforts.
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About Westminster Hall Debates

Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.