Environmental Report 1999 Index

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Emerging Issues and Recent Developments UKOOA is examining the records of its members' atmospheric emissions against those which are now considered significant either by the European Union or under international agreements. However, while we began gathering data about a number of these gases on a consistent basis in 1995, we do not have a detailed records back to 1990 (the base year established in 1992 at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)). Further, the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, made under the UNFCCC, requires nations to gather information on a number of gases (perfluorocarbons (PFCs), hydrofluorocarbons(HFCs), and sulphur hexafluoride(SF6)), some of which our industry does not use or which we use in very limited quantities. So far, these have not been recorded by UKOOA as we feel the effects of the quantities we have used are insignificant. However, UKOOA is now devising a process for gathering the data for these gases and in future these will be added to those already published in our Environment Reports. We will also be examining whether there is scope to reduce any of our atmospheric emissions and will work with Government on this. During 2000, UKOOA plans to develop a sectoral sustainability strategy in conjunction with the Government. This accords with the work undertaken by the Environment and Sustainable Development Sub-Group of the Oil and Gas Industry Task Force.