Prime Minister: We will end UK contribution to climate change by 2050
The Prime Minister Theresa May has today announced that the UK will eradicate its net contribution to climate change by 2050. This will amend the Climate Change Act 2008.
Prime Minister: We will end UK contribution to climate change by 2050
The ambitious new target, is based on advice from the UK’s independent experts: the Committee on Climate Change. The UK already leads the world in tackling climate change, and Government commissioned this advice in October having recognised the need to go even further to limit its effects.
In its report, the Committee on Climate Change forecast significant benefits to public health and savings to the NHS from better air quality and less noise pollution, as well as improved biodiversity.
This legislation will mean that the UK is on track to become the first G7 country to legislate for net zero emissions, with other major economies expected to follow suit. But it is imperative that other major economies follow suit. For that reason, the UK will conduct a further assessment within 5 years to confirm that other countries are taking similarly ambitious action, multiplying the effect of the UK’s lead and ensuring that our industries do not face unfair competition.
Prime Minister Theresa May said:
As the first country to legislate for long-term climate targets, we can be truly proud of our record in tackling climate change. We have made huge progress in growing our economy and the jobs market while slashing emissions.
Now is the time to go further and faster to safeguard the environment for our children. This country led the world in innovation during the Industrial Revolution, and now we must lead the world to a cleaner, greener form of growth.
Standing by is not an option. Reaching net zero by 2050 is an ambitious target, but it is crucial that we achieve it to ensure we protect our planet for future generations.
Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Greg Clark said:
We want to continue our global leadership and that’s why we are introducing a legally binding net zero target to end the UK’s contribution to global warming entirely by 2050. The report we commissioned from the Committee on Climate Change makes clear that we have laid the foundations to achieve a net zero emissions economy, and that it is necessary and feasible.
Almost 400,000 people are already employed in the low-carbon sector and its supply chains across the country. Through our modern Industrial Strategy we’re investing in clean growth to ensure we reap the rewards and create two million high quality jobs by 2030.
The UK is already a centre for clean growth and innovation. Low carbon technology and clean energy contribute £44.5 billion to our economy every year. We are ending the sale of new diesel and petrol cars and vans through our world-leading Road to Zero Strategy, and protecting biodiversity and promoting sustainability through our 25 Year Environment Plan.
We will continue to work with our international partners to tackle climate change.
UK-China cooperation on Climate Risks
The UK started engaging with China on climate risks.
We have also worked with The National Institute of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) to explore the health co-benefits, in terms of reduced pollution and warming, which would result from a low carbon transition.
Joint work on climate risks was raised during the UK-China Strategic Dialogue between our foreign ministers in August 2015. A two-year MoU for UK-China collaboration on climate risks was subsequently signed during the 2015 Paris COP between the UK Climate Change Committee (CCC) and Chinese Expert Committee.
We have since been supporting these collaborations aiming to improve the mainstream climate risk to cover the economic and security impact of climate change, thus providing convincing arguments for decision makers to act against dangerous climate change.
On the regional front, we are working with local governments to better understand and identifying solutions to tackle the impacts from extreme weather events. For example, we are also joining up our efforts with the Climate Science for Service Partnership (CSSP) in China under the Newton Fund to improve the scientific monitoring and evaluation of climate risk. They have previously worked with the Met Office in Wuhan to conduct extreme weather assessment for the Three Gorges Dam.
Notes to Editors
- Since 2008, when we set our original target of an 80% reduction in emissions by 2050, the projected whole economy cost of reaching this target has reduced dramatically because of advances in green tech.
- The CCC now believe that net zero emissions can be achieved within the estimates set out in the 2008 Climate Change Act.
- The Climate Science for Service Partnership, under the UK-China Research and Innovation Partnership Fund, is a landmark collaboration between the UK Met Office, China Meteorological Administration, and Chinese Academy of Science Institute of Atmospheric Physics.
- The CSSP seeks to understand the changing climate and support climate resilient economic development based on that understanding.
- The UK and Chinese Governments launched the Partnership Fund in December 2013. In December 2018, both sides agreed to extend support for the Fund into 2021 and beyond.