The government has set out measures to go “further and faster” to tackle climate change, in response to Committee on Climate Change (CCC) recommendations.
The government has set out how it will set out to tackle climate change, in response to recommendations from the Committee on Climate Change (CCC)– 4 months after the UK became the first major economy to legislate for net zero emissions by 2050.
The government’s official response to the CCC’s recommendation includes plans to strengthen governance in order to “galvanise” the whole of government to do more to tackle climate change and what it calls a “bold and ambitious plan” to accelerate the decarbonisation of transport.
The government will also consult on introducing mandatory in-use energy performance ratings for business buildings
The response to the CCC sets out new measures, including proposal to set minimum energy efficiency standards for commercial buildings by 2030, which could reduce UK emissions by the equivalent of half a million homes – roughly the size of Birmingham, it says.
Next year, the government will also consult on introducing mandatory in-use energy performance ratings for business buildings. It says this will be a “key step” in helping businesses to understand and manage the amount of energy they use.
Government will also consult on proposals to make it simpler for large-scale energy storage facilities to obtain planning permissionand will also endorse the recommendations of the Energy Data Taskforce, which set out to unlock the potential of data sharing across the energy system to support decarbonisation and reduce consumer bills
Since committing in law to end the UK’s contribution to climate change entirely by 2050, the government has announced investment of around £2 billion in low carbon technologies to lead the race in developing solutions to tackle climate change from research and development in large-scale battery technology to speeding up the development of carbon capture capability.
Transport decarbonisation plan
Recognising the need to scale up efforts in the transport industry, the UK’s first Transport Decarbonisation Plan has been announced to bring together a “bold and ambitious programme of coordinated action” needed to end the UK’s transport emissions by 2050.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “From driving our cars, to catching a train or taking a flight abroad, it is crucial that we ensure transport is as environmentally friendly as possible.
“This is why, as well as agreeing to the CCC’s recommendation on net zero by 2050, we have launched this ground-breaking plan to achieve net zero emissions across every single mode of transport.
From driving our cars, to catching a train or taking a flight abroad, it is crucial that we ensure transport is as environmentally friendly as possible
“We want to work with industry and communities around the country to develop this plan – to make our towns and cities better places to live, help to create new jobs, improve air quality and our health, and take urgent action on climate change.”
Due to be complete next year, the plan will set out what government, business and society will need to do to deliver the significant emissions reduction needed from all modes of transport. In particular it will consider how UK technology and innovation can be implemented to encourage major changes to the way people and goods move across the UK.
Further detail on how the UK will make progress towards the 2050 net zero target is expected in the National Infrastructure Strategy this autumn.