The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has expressed concern that ministers may refuse a legally binding commitment to achieve zero clean greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, noting “major policy failures” and “minimal deliveries”. Lord Deben, chairman of the committee and former Conservative environment secretary, said the government had set strong targets for reducing emissions but lacked a policy to achieve them. “The government wanted the ends, but not the means,” he said. “This report shows that the current plans will not fulfill the commitments [to net zero]. » He said clean zero policies were also the best way to reduce the rising cost of living. Average household bills would be around £ 125 lower today if previous plans for green energy and energy efficiency had been followed. “If you want to deal with the cost of living crisis, this is exactly what you need to do,” he said. The biggest failure was the isolation policy. Britain’s homes are the driest in Western Europe, heating costs are crippling household budgets and heating is one of the biggest sources of carbon, but the government has no plans to help most people insulate their homes. “It’s a political psychological problem – in a way our politicians do not see energy efficiency as something they can pursue and claim credit for,” Deben said. Deben also hit proposals for a new coal mine in Cumbria. The relevant decision is expected to be made by July 7. “[This] “The coal mine is completely defenseless,” Deben said. “Eighty percent of the coal produced will be exported. it is not going to contribute anything to our domestic needs. [On the international stage] sets another example for Britain to say one thing and do another. “ He also questioned the viability of fracking. Although the commission could not request a ban, he said potential investors should be aware that the government’s climate plans call for the phasing out of gas use by the mid-2030s, unless accompanied by a commitment and storage. coal. Subscribe to the First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7 p.m. BST However, Deben said he was “not worried” about coal-fired power plants increasing production in response to rising energy prices, calling it a “short-term measure” needed to “keep the lights on”. small long-term impact. on emissions. In its annual progress report to parliament, the CCC set out how it monitored milestones on the way to achieving the clear zero goal. For some, the government is doing well – the production of renewable energy, for example, has increased significantly and the absorption of electric vehicles has been boosted by the government’s goal of phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030. However, these have been accompanied by notable failures, such as the lack of clear policies for 12% of UK emissions from agriculture and land use. «Defra [the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs] it really fails to deliver, “said Chris Stark, CEO of CCC. Stark also noted widespread fears in government circles that the government, having stepped up its targets ahead of last year’s UN Cop26 summit, was changing course in response to the cost-of-living crisis. Stark said that while there was no major political setback, he was concerned about the “change in rhetoric” coming from ministers. Ed Matthew, campaign director at thinktank E3G, said: “This report is an indictment of the government’s miserable failure to support its ambitious goals with credible action throughout the economy.” Ami McCarthy, a Greenpeace UK political activist, contrasts the lack of insulation measures with the incentives for new fossil fuel exploration: climate. destroying energy waste from our homes. However, this government seems to intend to lead to action by the fossil fuel giants, offering tax breaks to encourage new drilling under the false pretext that they will get us out of this mess. “ A government spokesman said: “The United Kingdom is ahead of most other countries with about 40% of our power now coming from cleaner and cheaper renewable energy sources. This is supported by 6 6 billion in funding to make our homes and buildings more energy efficient, planting up to 30,000 hectares of new trees a year and more electric cars on our road than ever before. [We are] getting rid of our cars and trucks faster than any other developed country. “
