Climate activists are urging the UK government to adopt more ambitious measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions, following the Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) recommendation of an 81% reduction by 2035. This target, which excludes emissions from aviation and shipping, would be compared to 1990 levels.
81% Reduction: A Critical Benchmark
In a letter to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, the CCC advised that the UK aim for this ambitious target as part of its international commitment under the Paris Agreement. The recommendation aligns with the UK’s current carbon budgets for the 2030s, which aim to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
However, campaigners argue that the target should be viewed as a minimum. Mike Childs, head of policy at Friends of the Earth, stated, “The proposed 81% cut should only be a starting point. A stronger goal would position the UK as a global climate leader.” Catherine Pettengell, executive director of Climate Action Network UK, agreed, emphasizing, “This target must be a baseline, not a ceiling.”
Barriers to Meeting Climate Goals
The UK is already struggling to meet its current goal of a 68% reduction by 2030, set by Boris Johnson ahead of the 2021 Cop26 summit. Doug Parr, policy director at Greenpeace UK, stressed the need for clear strategies to achieve the 2035 target. He called for Labour to deliver on its pledges to end new oil and gas licenses, triple renewable energy capacity, and improve energy efficiency.
A key challenge for Miliband lies in deciding whether to include emissions from international aviation and shipping in the UK’s nationally determined contribution (NDC). These emissions, while part of the UK’s domestic carbon budgets, were excluded from the original Paris Agreement due to attribution complexities. Jonathan Hood, UK sustainable shipping manager at Transport & Environment, argued for their inclusion, stating, “Excluding these emissions while relying on the ineffective International Maritime Organisation is illogical.”
If included, the effective NDC would represent a 78% reduction by 2035, aligning with the sixth carbon budget.
The Road to Cop29 and Beyond
New NDCs must be submitted to the UN by February, but Labour leader Keir Starmer has pledged to release the UK’s targets during the upcoming Cop29 summit in Azerbaijan on November 11. At the UN General Assembly in New York, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reiterated Britain’s climate leadership, saying, “The threat of climate change is existential and immediate. We are resetting Britain’s approach.”
The UK aims to inspire other major economies by announcing its NDC early. However, global climate policies could shift dramatically depending on the outcome of the US presidential election just days before Cop29. Donald Trump has vowed to dismantle Joe Biden’s climate initiatives and withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement.
Despite meeting its first three carbon budgets under the Climate Change Act of 2008, the UK faces mounting difficulties in achieving future goals. The fifth and sixth budgets target reductions of 58% by 2032 and 78% by 2037, respectively, with the seventh budget to be set next year.
Robert Jenrick, a Conservative leadership candidate, has proposed repealing the Climate Change Act, while his rival Kemi Badenoch has questioned the UK’s net zero strategy.
A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero stated, “The UK is reestablishing its climate leadership. Our goal is to become a clean energy superpower while leading global efforts to limit warming to 1.5 degrees. We will carefully consider the CCC’s advice as we finalize our ambitious NDC for Cop29.”