Government to accelerate CO2 emission reduction plan

Ambitious new climate change commitments from the Government will set the UK on course to cut carbon emissions by 78 per cent by 2035.

Hitting the target would include requiring more electric cars, powered by additional renewable electricity cources. The news comes just a few weeks after the he Government announced changes to the EV grant, reducing it from £3000 to £2500, with fully electric vehicles costing more than £35,000 (including VAT and delivery fees) no longer being eligible. 

The Prime Minister's commitments, which will become law by the end of June, brings forward the current CO2 reduction target for reducing carbon emissions by 15 years. 

The targets are in line with the recommendation from the independent Climate Change Committee (CCC) — ensuring Britain remains on track to end its contribution to the climate crisis 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.

Prime Minister Boris 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.

"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."

The Government says it  will bring forward policies to meet carbon budgets and the Net Zero Strategy, to be published before the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (also known as COP26), will set out the vision for transitioning to a net-zero economy.

Leo Murray of the climate charity Possible said ministers were "facing both directions at the same time", as they had scrapped the Green Homes Grant for insulating homes, had not stopped airport expansion and were "still pushing a £27bn roads budget".