To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what rate of change in carbon dioxide emissions was recorded in (a) the EU and (b) the US in 2006. (140976)

In 2005, the latest year for which information is available, carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from the EU-15 were 0.9 per cent higher than 1990 levels, although total emissions of all greenhouse gases decreased by 4.0 per cent. Emissions data to 2005 for the EU-27 are not yet available, although statistics for the EU-25 show that net CO₂ emissions decreased by 2.4 per cent. between 1990 and 2004.

CO₂ emissions in the US in 2005 were 20 per cent. above 1990 levels and total emissions of all greenhouse gases were 16 per cent. above 1990 emissions.

Between 2004 and 2005 CO₂ emissions in the EU-15 decreased by 1.2 per cent., while CO₂ emissions in the US increased by 0.4 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the percentage change in carbon dioxide emissions by the Government was over the course of 2006. (140988)

Energy data compiled for the Sustainable Development Commission's Sustainable Development in Government Annual Report 2006 show that there was a 2.3 per cent. reduction (after correcting for weather variations) in annual carbon emissions from Government buildings during the period April 2005 and March 2006.

Figures for the financial year to March 2007 are currently being compiled and will be published by the Sustainable Development Commission later this year.