Government announcement to end UK's contribution to climate change
Commenting on the Prime Minister's announcement to set a target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, Emma Howard Boyd Chair of the Environment Agency said:
I’m delighted to see the Prime Minister set a legal target for the UK to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. This is not only the right thing to tackle the climate emergency for future generations but a huge opportunity to increase our energy efficiency, improve our resilience and deliver a greener, healthier society.
We know that investing in zero carbon solutions is good for growth - boosting jobs and the economy - and it is cheaper for business, organisations and government to tackle climate change now than to manage its impacts in the future.
When I launched a consultation on the Environment Agency’s Flood and Coastal Strategy up to 2100, a few weeks ago, I talked about the importance of building a nation of climate champions - people aware of the risks of the climate emergency and empowered to take positive action to help their communities become more resilient.
We know how passionate young people are across the country about tackling complacency in the face of catastrophe and taking action now to safeguard their environment for the future. So it’s encouraging to see the Government has established a Youth Steering Group which will advise them and review progress against their commitments.
Our individual actions count too, no matter how small - from the amount of water we use at home to the products we recycle and reuse. We have no option but to do this and we all have a part to play.
The Environment Agency is already working to tackle the climate emergency. Today’s announcement gives a powerful boost to all our prospects for the future and a common goal to achieve together.