ADBA to reiterate the environmental and economic value of biogas to new ministers

ADBA to reiterate the environmental and economic value of biogas to new ministers

• Appointments of new COP26 President and Environment Secretary triggers renewed efforts to demonstrate the benefits of biogas for decarbonising the UK and global economies
• Anaerobic digestion and biogas can deliver a 6% reduction in UK annual greenhouse gas emissions within the next decade, 30% of the UK’s legally binding carbon budget for 2030
• The industry can also help reduce the carbon footprint of hard-to-decarbonise sectors such as heat, transport, waste management and agriculture

Thursday's Cabinet reshuffle saw the appointments of Alok Sharma MP as new President of the United Nations Climate Change Summit, COP26 and George Eustice MP as Secretary of State for the Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra).  Mr Sharma is also named Secretary of State for the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

Charlotte Morton, Chief Executive of the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA), said: “We congratulate Mr Sharma and Mr Eustice for their appointments at a critical time for environmental policy in the UK ahead of COP26. These ministerial changes in the middle of a climate emergency mean that we, ADBA, must redouble our efforts to convey to policymakers the potential of AD and biogas to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the critical need to develop a green, circular economy that will boost business and employment in the country.

Ahead of COP26, the UK must show strong leadership and commitment on environmental issues or risk serious embarrassment. In particular, it must clearly state its strategy to meet the Net Zero by 2050 target that it has set for the country.  We strongly believe that there is no Net Zero without biogas, and we are determined to demonstrate the huge contribution that AD – a mature, ready to use technology – can make towards achieving the UK's goals. Biogas is the only  sector that can deliver a 6% reduction in UK greenhouse gas emissions across heat, transport, waste and agriculture by 2030 and could directly create more than 30,000 new jobs over that time.

Time is of the essence, and we trust the new Ministers' experience and understanding of environmental and climate change issues will enable them to recognise the vital role of AD in achieving Net Zero and commit to supporting the deployment of AD and biogas across the UK economy without delay”.

– ENDS –

For further information, contact:
Jocelyne Bia, Senior Communications Consultant
email: Jocelyne.bia@adbioresources.org ; tel: 07910 878510

Notes to editors

• There are currently 674 AD plants operating in the UK generating 1.2 billion m3 of biomethane, enough to heat nearly 1 million homes each year, and 40 million tonnes of digestate for use as a biofertiliser.  The industry currently helps reduce UK annual greenhouse gas emissions by 1% and employs over 3,500 people in the UK.  
• At full potential, the AD industry could reduce the UK’s total annual emissions by 6% by 2030; fuel UK’s bus fleet six-times over or 97% of HGVs; and directly create over 30,000 new green jobs, with another 30,000 indirect jobs created as a result of the industry’s growth.
• The Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) is the trade association for the UK anaerobic digestion (AD) and biogas industry.  ADBA’s vision is to see the full potential of the UK AD industry realised so it can help the UK achieve its emissions targets and other policy goals, creating a truly circular economy. www.abioresources.org @adbioresources