The UK Government will set the world’s most ambitious climate change target into law to reduce emissions by 78% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels, announced today.
In line with the recommendation from the independent Climate Change Committee, the UK’s Sixth Carbon Budget limits the volume of greenhouse gases emitted over a five-year period from 2033-2037, taking the UK more than three-quarters of the way to reaching net zero by 2050.
The Carbon Budget will ensure Britain remains on track to end its contribution to climate change while remaining consistent with the Paris Agreement temperature goal to limit global warming to well below 2°C and pursue efforts towards 1.5°C.
For the first time, this Carbon Budget will incorporate the UK’s share of international aviation and shipping emissions – an important part of the government’s decarbonisation efforts that will allow for these emissions to be accounted for consistently.
This comes ahead of Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressing the opening session of the US Leaders’ Summit on Climate, hosted by President Biden on Earth Day (22 April).
The new target will become enshrined in law by the end of June 2021, with legislation setting out the UK government’s commitments laid in Parliament on the 21 April.
Johnson said: “We want to continue to raise the bar on tackling climate change, and that’s why we’re setting the most ambitious target to cut emissions in the world.
“The UK will be home to pioneering businesses, new technologies and green innovation as we make progress to net zero emissions, laying the foundations for decades of economic growth in a way that creates thousands of jobs.
“We want to see world leaders follow our lead and match our ambition in the run up to the crucial climate summit COP26, as we will only build back greener and protect our planet if we come together to take action.”
In response RenewableUK deputy chief executive Melanie Onn said: “As a next step, to ensure we achieve our ambitions, and to galvanise industry investment, we need to see a specific commitment by Government to decarbonise the electricity sector by 100% by 2035, in line with the Climate Change Committee’s recommendations.”
She added: “To ramp up renewable energy development, we also need to see renewable energy projects being consented in a more timely manner, so we’re calling for Ministers to put more financial resources into the expert bodies which rigorously scrutinise new applications.
“And critically, we need to accelerate work on upgrading the electricity grid to allow us to maximise the benefits of renewable power for consumers”.
Energy UK CEO Emma Pinchbeck said: “The Government now needs to urgently focus on polices that can enable our industry to invest and help deliver on these pledges – by increasing still further the amount of low carbon generation, cutting emissions from housing and transport and by creating a modern, flexible energy system.”
Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: “This latest target shows the world that the UK is serious about protecting the health of our planet, while also seizing the new economic opportunities it will bring and capitalising on green technologies – yet another step as we build back greener from the pandemic we lead the world towards a cleaner, more prosperous future for this generation and those to come.”
The UK over-achieved against its first and second Carbon Budgets and is on track to outperform the third Carbon Budget which ends in 2022.
Moreover, the UK continues to break records in renewable electricity generation, which has more than quadrupled since 2010 while low carbon electricity overall now gives us over 50% of our total generation.
The UK is the first G7 country to agree a landmark. North Sea Transition Deal to support the oil and gas industry’s transition to clean, green energy while supporting 40,000 jobs. Through the deal, the sector has committed to cut emissions by 50% by 2030, while the government, sector and trade un ions will work together over the next decade and beyond to deliver the skills, innovation and new infrastructure required to decarbonise North Sea production.
The government will look to meet this reduction target through “investing and capitalising on new green technologies and innovation”, whilst maintaining people’s freedom of choice, including on their diet.
That is why the government’s Sixth Carbon Budget of 78% is based on its own analysis and does not follow each of the Climate Change Committee’s specific policy recommendations.
Moreover, government analysis finds that costs of action on climate change are outweighed by the significant benefits – reducing polluting emissions, as well as bringing fuel savings, improvements to air quality and enhancing biodiversity. The government expects the costs of meeting net zero to continue to fall as green technology advances, industries decarbonise and private sector investment grows.
HM Treasury will publish its Net Zero Review in the coming months setting out how government plans to maximise economic growth opportunities from the net zero transition while ensuring contributions are fair between consumers, businesses and the British taxpayer.
Chairman of the Committee on Climate Change Lord Deben said: “The UK’s Sixth Carbon Budget is the product of the most comprehensive examination ever undertaken of the path to a fully decarbonised economy. I am delighted that the government has accepted my Committee’s recommendations in full.”
“The target emphasises the importance of the 2020s as a decade of delivery on our climate ambitions, and urgent action is needed now to make this a reality.”