The latest legislation, guidance and consultation.
Legislation
Emissions trading
1 January 2021
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Order 2020 is the UK successor to the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). As the UK has left the European Union, it is no longer a participant of the EU ETS. cedr.ec/7ez
Energy efficiency
28 December 2020
England and Wales
The Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 update the requirements for assessments of air-conditioning systems. Inspections must now consider the capabilities of systems to optimise performance under typical operating conditions. cedr.ec/7f0
Packaging waste
11 January 2021
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 have been published separately for each UK country to set new recycling targets for all materials, and to take into account the fact that no recovery targets are being set. cedr.ec/7f1
Waste
18 December 2020
Northern Ireland
The Waste (Circular Economy) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 implement the EU Circular Economy Package through amendments to domestic waste legislation, and includes changes to hazardous waste, waste management licensing and packaging waste. cedr.ec/7f4
Dangerous substances
14 February 2021
Scotland
The Environmental Protection (Disposal of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and other Dangerous Substances) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2020 require that equipment containing PCBs of more than 0.005% and volumes greater than 0.05 dm3 should be identified and removed as soon as possible, and no later than 31 December 2025. cedr.ec/7f3
Guidance
Waste
1 January 2021
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Technical Guidance WM3: Waste Classification Guidance on the classification and assessment of waste has been updated to reflect changes to chemicals legislation as a result of the UK’s exit from the EU on 31 December 2020. cedr.ec/7f5
Consultation
Energy
14 December 2020
England, Scotland and Wales
A consultation seeks views on bringing forward the deadline for phasing out unabated coal-fired generation to 1 October.
2024. This proposal is part of the government’s drive to go further and faster on decarbonising the power sector, as it works towards net-zero by 2050. cedr.ec/7f6
Greenhouse gases
14 December 2020
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is consulting on greenhouse gas removal methods and views on policy mechanisms that could incentivise and facilitate their development and deployment. This builds on its Vivid Economics study from 2019. cedr.ec/7f7
