26.06.13
Government is ‘storing up risks for future’ with climate change
The UK is likely to miss its long-term carbon targets, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has warned.
The CCC has published its latest progress report, showing changes are not being made quickly enough to ensure the UK meets its carbon reduction commitments from 2017 to 2027.
Emissions are on trend to fall between 1% and 1.5% each year. It needs to be around 3% annually to meet targets.
The Government needs to encourage the take-up of new low-carbon technology and give clearer signs for investors about future intentions. The green deal should be reviewed and strengthened, following slow take-up since its launch in January.
Demonstration projects for carbon capture and storage technology should be brought forward, the report recommends.
David Kennedy, chief executive of the committee, told the Guardian: “There has been some positive progress, but there is clearly still a big challenge and we should not be complacent. If we stop now with policy, all we are doing is storing up risks for the future.
“There are serious risks that the level of progress will not be maintained. There are gaps in the policy framework incentives.”
Ed Davey, the energy and climate change secretary, said: “The UK takes its obligations under the Climate Change Act, to cut emissions by 80% by 2050, very seriously. That is why we are on course to overachieve against the first three carbon budgets, taking us to 2022. We are also working to encourage other countries to follow our lead; for example, pushing for the EU to adopt a 50% emissions reduction target by 2030, as part of a global deal in 2015.
“We recognise the challenges ahead in meeting the fourth carbon budget. As stated in our Carbon Plan, we will need additional policies to meet this legally binding goal. We have already published scenarios for how we might achieve the fourth carbon budget and remain committed to doing so.”
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