Tackling climate change

Today Britain will enshrine into law the world’s most ambitious climate change target, which will accelerate our efforts to meet our commitment of Net Zero by 2050, as we continue to raise the bar on tackling climate change -  championing innovation and green jobs as we build back better. 

  • The UK is already leading the world in tackling climate change and setting ambitious targets – but we want to continue to raise the bar and set an example to other countries. 
     
  • That is why, as part of the UK’s sixth Carbon Budget, we will set into law the world’s most ambitious climate change target – to cut emissions by 78 per cent by 2035 compared to 1990 levels, bringing us more than three-quarters of the way towards being Net Zero by 2050 - fueling new technologies, green innovation and creating jobs in the progress. 
     
  • We want to see world leaders follow Britain's example and match our ambition in the run up to COP 26, as we can only build back better, and greener, and protect our plant if we come together to take action.

Comments

Gary Bullivant said…
"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 tomorrow (Wednesday 21 April)." Is that a material planning matter for our local mine project and the supportive County Council to address?
Chris Whiteside said…
If it is enshrined in law - as opposed to being a recommendation from a committee - I suspect it will be a material planning matter.

That does not necessarily mean that it will mandate the outcome which some opponents of the mine are suggesting since coal will still be needed to make steel for the next two or three decades.

The permission as voted for by the DC&R committee would have expired by the time of the UK's target date to reach Net Zero.
Gary Bullivant said…
It may not be mandated but it will be weighed in the balance before the Inspector makes a recommendation. The key person in determining the impact of this legislation on this project is probably someone who works for Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP at BEIS, which is good because Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP also has ministerial responsibilty for the Coal Authority on behalf of her predecessor in the post, Kwasi Kwarteng.

The Coal Authority is currently determining whether or not to grant a further extension to two of the three WCM licences. It would be really good joined up government if she were to get Kwasi to call in the licence applications so they could be dealt with at the same time and at the same level as the planning application. Perhaps someone could also look at doing the same for DEFRA and the MMO licenses? That way the "grampian conditional" aspects of planning approval could be removed and that must be a good thing for everyone.
Chris Whiteside said…
There are some interesting points there. I am not sure whether the law allows it to be done that way but I will try to find out.

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