DECC to set carbon budget tomorrow

Energy secretary Amber Rudd has confirmed DECC will set the level of the fifth carbon budget tomorrow as set out by law.

Addressing the Business Climate Summit in London, Rudd said the UK’s commitment to climate change action has not been affected following the UK’s vote to leave the European Union.

The budget will set the cap on UK emissions for the period 2028-2032.

The Committee on Climate Change has recommended to DECC that the budget be set to require a 57% reduction in emissions from 1990 to 2030.

Rudd made no mention of accepting the CCC’s levels.

The energy secretary said leading Leave campaigners have made it clear they remain committed to Climate Change Act.

The UK’s role in dealing with a warming planet may have been made harder by the prospect of leaving the EU, added Rudd, but “climate change has not been downgraded as a risk and the UK will not step back from (climate) leadership.”

Rudd also reiterated DECC’s commitments to capacity market auctions, 4GW of offshore wind in the 2020s, the nuclear new build programme and closure of unabated coal plant.

Image: Amber Rudd (DECC)