Climate Change Bill [HL]

I apologise for being a couple of minutes late. I want to raise, from Amendment No. 183B, the important issue of embedded carbon. The noble Lord, Lord Crickhowell, mentioned that this needs to be strengthened; it probably does. We should not forget that this is about not only future carbon emissions but trying to protect the infrastructure, as set out in this amendment. It is important to realise that an immense amount of carbon is already embedded in the infrastructure, in roads, power stations and water treatment plants. What if they are destroyed by flood? The housing stock is built to retain heat, rather than to be cool, which will be a major issue in the future. We have already talked about the enormous amount of carbon that has been put into the atmosphere over the past 200 years. We have to start thinking about preserving infrastructure, because replacing infrastructure is incredibly carbon-expensive. It is an issue that we will move back on to, but I very much hope that the Minister will realise that the committee should look at embedded carbon costs. If we lose the infrastructure and need to replace it, we will add yet more carbon.