UK government to commit to 2050 target

Prime Minister, Theresa May, has announced she will lay a statutory instrument in the Commons today proposing a target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The UK already has a 2050 target to reduce emissions by 80%, which was agreed by MPs under the Climate Change Act in 2008, but will now be amended to the new goal.

The changes follow recommendations by the Committee on Climate Change for the UK to set the target. The Committee’s report also highlights how achieving this goal would be financially manageable, costing around 1-2% of GDP.

The statutory instrument will now be fast-tracked through government if other parties agree.