The UK Parliament accepted the recommendations of the Climate Change Committee (CCC) in the Sixth Carbon Budget, passing the Budget's target into law on 22 June 2021. The CCC, an independent body established under the Climate Change Act 2008, advises the UK and devolved governments on emissions targets. The Carbon Budget sets out the path to net zero, sectoral pathways, the contribution of devolved governments, the investment, costs and benefits, just transition considerations, the international and scientific circumstances, and recommendations.
The Sixth Carbon Budget requires a 78% reduction in UK territorial emissions between 1990 and 2035, bringing forward the UK’s previous 80% target by nearly 15 years. This is a 63% reduction from 2019.
The actions required to meet the UK’s Carbon Budget and Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) fall under four key areas:
- Reducing demand for carbon-intensive activities: An accelerated shift in diets away from meat and dairy products, reductions in waste, slower growth in flights and reductions in travel demand; and improved energy and resource efficiency.
- Take-up of low-carbon solutions: By the early 2030s, all new cars and vans and all boiler replacements in homes and other buildings must be low-carbon. By 2040, all new heavy goods vehicles should be low-carbon. Industry must either adopt technologies that use electricity or hydrogen instead of fossil fuels, or install carbon capture and storage.
- Expansion of low-carbon energy supplies: Low-carbon electricity; offshore wind; and low-carbon hydrogen, produced using electricity or from natural gas or biomass with carbon capture and storage, will be key energy sources.
- Land and removals: Growing woodland cover from the current 13% to 15% by 2035; and the wide restoration of peatland.
The Carbon Budget states that the UK’s actions are meant to go beyond those required from the world on average, in line with the UK’s responsibility as a richer nation with larger historical emissions.
The central estimate for costs is now below 1% of the UK’s GDP throughout the next 30 years. The Carbon Budget calls for a major nationwide investment programme, led by the UK government, but largely funded and delivered by private companies and individuals.
