Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)
The Department of Energy and Climate Change is a relatively new organisation within the government of the United Kingdom. It is also a fairly small organisation considering the immense responsibilities placed upon its shoulders. The mandate of the Department of Energy and Climate Change is to find ways for the UK to be mindful of its commitments to the environment whilst maintaining a thriving economy. It has long been believed that a country cannot maintain goals of low emissions whilst pursuing industrial and economic superiority. The Department of Energy and Climate Change seeks to dash this supposed maxim and show how prosperous a country can be while also mitigating its damage to the environment.
History
The Department of Energy and Climate Change was created in October of 2008 to consolidate some of the functions of two other departments. It was created by Prime Minister Gordon Brown in response to both the overwhelming logistical overlap in these two departments and international movement on climate change. It has an operating budget of £1.5 billion GBP.
Goals and Commitments
The department was created to address specific concerns of the UK in reference to climate change and energy. It has a four-pronged approach to dealing with the unique issues that climate change has foisted upon the global economy.
The first goal is to implement the energy-saving measures in the Green Deal and to support vulnerable consumers. This could be consumers that simply do not currently have the capacity to meet the guidelines of the Green Deal. The idea is to help private citizens reduce their imprint both at work and at home. There are also provisions for assisting those that have the least access to fuel.
The second goal is to maintain an open supply line of energy whilst these provisions are being met. The UK has set ambitious guidelines for itself on reaching a low-carbon future. However, there are certain realities of the current energy scenario that dictate the necessity for current fossil fuel inputs. The goal of the department is to help ensure "business as usual" can continue while alternative fuel sources are being pursued.
The third goal is to push for climate change action at home and in countries across the world. The UK government has come to understand that climate change is not a localised problem. It is a worldwide dilemma that requires the best work of all major polluters.
The fourth goal is to ensure a responsible energy legacy for future generations in the United Kingdom. This entails maintaining strict guidelines on all energy sources that promote the health and welfare of all citizens of the United Kingdom. This is meant as a measure to promote financial and health assurances for all energy investments that are made with public funds.
Research and Innovation
Economic research and social research schemes are a part of the overall mission of the department. After all, solid energy policies can only be based upon research that takes the real world into account. The provisions of the department could not ever be reached without a sensible approach to real world issues. Therefore, the research that goes into the policies at the Department of Energy and Climate Change is solid and rigorously scrutinised.
Some of the research conducted at the DECC involves the statistical modelling of the logical outcomes of policies. The idea is to see what possible unforeseen ramifications may come of these policies in the future by using complex algorithms to run various test criteria. These tests are absolutely crucial to the overall mission of the department and play a significant role in all policies espoused by it.
These analytical tests also help the DECC gauge the probable costs of fossil fuel inputs through the year 2030. This helps the department by giving it a responsible metric by which to gauge the cost appropriateness of various alternative energy programmes.
Contact the Department of Energy and Climate Change
To contact the department by post, send correspondence to:
Department of Energy and Climate Change
3 Whitehall Place
London
SW1A 2AW
(Closest Underground Station: Charing Cross)
You can also reach the department via email at: correspondence@decc.gsi.gov.uk.
