Guest
Future targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions should not be loosened, the UK’s independent climate advisers have warned. The UK outperformed on its legal target to cut emissions between 2018 and 2022, known as the third carbon budget, largely due to external factors including the pandemic. Total emissions over the period were 391 million tonnes, or 15%, less than the maximum allowed under the third carbon budget. But the Climate Change Committee has written to the Government warning the UK is “substantially” off track for targets to cut emissions by 2030 and beyond. It should not carry forward any “surplus” emissions from the third carbon budget to help it meet the next set of targets – the fourth carbon budget – for the period 2023-2027, the advisory committee warns. The carbon budgets are part of the UK’s long term legal goal under the 2008 Climate Change Act to cut emissions to zero overall, known as net zero, by 2050, to end the country’s contribution to global warming. Julia Hartley-Brewer is joined by political theorist Ralph Schoellhammer to discuss. #climatechange #netzero #juliahartleybrewer
