North East Hertfordshire MP Sir Oliver Heald has called on the UK’s independent climate change body to include carbon emissions from marine areas in future emissions totals. 

Sir Oliver was one of a group of five MPs from the Conservative Environment Network (CEN) Parliamentary Caucus who have written to Lord Deben, Chair of the Climate Change Committee (CCC), requesting the Committee report to Parliament on the feasibility of integrating so-called “blue carbon” into the UK’s carbon accounts. 

The letter argues that this will ensure the UK is accurately measuring its impact on the global climate and create further incentives for the Government to better protect and restore our coastal and marine habitats—tackling climate change, recovering wildlife and levelling-up coastal areas. 

Commenting, Sir Oliver said: “As host of both the UN climate summit (Cop26) and the G7 this year, the UK is driving international ambition to protect our oceans and tackle climate change. But to reach net zero, we will need to use every tool in the box. By properly recognising the carbon value of our coasts and seas, we can measure our true impact on the climate and ensure 30 per cent of our seas are fully protected, including from polluting practices like bottom trawling.