Energy white paper 2007: ‘Meeting the energy challenge’

Energy is essential in almost every aspect of our lives, as well as for the success of our economy. And we face two long-term energy challenges:

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

‘Meeting the energy challenge’, a white paper published in May 2007, sets out our international and domestic energy strategy, in the shape of four policy goals:

aiming to cut CO₂ emissions by some 60% by about 2050, with real progress by 2020
maintaining the reliability of energy supplies
promoting competitive markets in the UK and beyond
ensuring every home is heated adequately and affordably.

The white paper also shows how we are implementing the measures set out in the ‘2006 Energy review’ report, as well as those announced since (including in the pre-Budget report in 2006 and the Budget in 2007).

You can read the full version here: Meeting the energy challenge: a white paper on energy [Cm 7124]

Errata

Line 6 (chapter 2, page 49) should refer to ‘Figure 2.3’, not ‘Figure 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.
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.’