Eunomia Develops Emission Limits for London

Environmental consultancy Eunomia Research & Consulting (UK) has been appointed by the Greater London Authority (GLA) to develop an Emissions Performance Standard (EPS) for the capital. This will form a key element of Mayor Boris Johnson’s new Municipal Waste Management Strategy (MWMS) to be published in late summer 2010. The EPS will enable the GLA to set appropriate carbon emissions levels for the management of London’s municipal waste and will function as a guideline for London Boroughs and Joint Waste Authorities when letting new contracts.

The London EPS will measure the carbon performance across all municipal waste management activities associated with the collection, recycling, treatment, recovery, and final disposal of waste. A related Eunomia study, which provides information on the costs of meeting the EPS, will also be published this summer.

The EPS concept is an increasingly popular way of regional and national authorities managing carbon emissions in the industrial, manufacturing and power generation sectors. Following an announcement by the new coalition Government in May, the Department of Energy and Climate Change is currently developing an EPS for all new thermal power stations, which might be achieved by either coal-fired or combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power stations fitting carbon capture and storage (CCS) infrastructure.

Doug Simpson, Environment Programme Officer for Waste at the GLA commented: “The GLA is keen to promote new infrastructure that delivers real climate change mitigation benefits. Whilst we recognise the importance of setting high targets for recycling, these must have a demonstrable link to reductions in carbon emissions, which will be provided by the EPS being developed by Eunomia.”