New Committee on Climate Change report criticises the UK's climate change action

The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has today released their annual progress report, Progress in Preparing for Climate Change - 2019 Progress Report to Parliament.

The report addresses the UK’s current progress on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the policies generating this reduction, and the UK’s adaption to climate change.

The CCC suggests that the UK is not on track for its recent net zero GHG emissions target by 2050. Indeed, more damningly, the CCC argue the UK is not on track to meet its past, less ambitious, target of an 80% reduction in GHGs by the same date.

Read the CCC’s full report here, and coverage from the BBC here.

Net zero greenhouse gas emissions target law begins passage through Parliament

Yesterday, the draft law to create a net zero emissions target for the UK by 2050 was put to Parliament by Chris Skidmore MP, who is currently a joint Minister of State for the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department of Education.

The draft law proposes updating the existing greenhouse gas emissions reduction target set by the Climate Change Act 2008 of an 80% reduction by 2050 to 100% by the same year.

Such action follows Theresa May’s announcement of the net zero target earlier this month before her departure from office. This follows the Committee on Climate Change’s influential Net Zero report, arguing for the adoption of a legal net zero emissions goal by 2050 at the very latest - as Bright Blue has previously campaigned for.

Read more about the proposed law currently making its way through parliament here, the CCC’s Net Zero report here, and Bright Blue’s response to the CCC’s report here.

Response to BEIS Select Committee's inquiry into carbon capture, usage and storage

Bright Blue’s written evidence submission to the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee’s inquiry into carbon capture, usage and storage has been published online.

In the response, we highlight the research included in our report Hotting up, which recommends the deployment of a carbon capture and storage ‘demonstration project’ in an industrial cluster in the UK, such as Teesside, where there are economies of scale from the sharing of infrastructure to transport the captured carbon dioxide and to store it

Read out full response here.

Wilf Lytton: Approaching zero hour: Time for the UK to go carbon-neutral

Our Senior Researcher, Wilf Lytton, has written for BusinessGreen about the case for Britain to act now, with further, ambitious targets for climate action. In his article, Wilf states that previous climate change legislation, such as the Climate Change Act 2008, actually provided an impetus to the economy - creating new jobs, and saving consumers money.

Here’s an excerpt:

Ten years on, this law has proven to be hugely successful not only in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, but also in generating jobs and clean growth across the country which otherwise could not have occurred. The UK is now, for example, a global leader in wind turbine development, and manufactures and supplies Europe with the world's best-selling electric vehicle.

Read the full article here.

Over 130 MPs call on Prime Minister to adopt net zero emission goal

Our Senior Researcher, Wilf Lytton, has been quoted in an article on BusinessGreen.

Specifically, Wilf was referenced the polling results included in our recent report, Hotting up, which showed the high levels of public support for further climate action from the Government.

Read the full article here.

Net Zero: Understanding The Trend That Will Shape The Century

Our Senior Associate Fellow, Ben Caldecott, has been quoted in an article on BusinessGreen about the recent drive for net zero emissions. Ben argued that the UK should take on a leadership role for net zero internationally.

Here's an excerpt: 

The UK was a leader in adopting the Climate Change Act 10 years ago and we have made amazing progress cutting emissions, but we do need to look at net zero and how to get there. There is an opportunity for the UK, and a responsibility for the UK as the originator of the industrial revolution, to move early on this. It is important we have countries that show this is possible. That is important for the global transition.

The article also cited Bright Blue's polling, contained in our policy report, Hotting up. It reiterated our finding that 64% of UK adults agree the country should aim to cut its carbon emissions to zero in the next few decades, including 58 per cent of Conservative Party voters.

Read the full article here.

How the UK could lead the Commonwealth on climate change

Our Head of Research, Sam Hall, has written for ConservativeHome on how the UK could lead the Commonwealth on climate change. In his article, Sam praised the Government for positioning itself towards adopting a net zero target for carbon emissions. 

Citing Bright Blue polling, Sam also referenced the fact that when asked how quickly the UK should cut its emissions relative to other countries, a large majority of UK adults (90%) believe the UK should cut its emissions at least as quickly as other countries.

Read the full article here.

Claire Perry to instruct Committee on Climate Change to scope net zero goal

Our Head of Research, Sam Hall, has been quoted in an article on BusinessGreen in response to the announcement made by the Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth, the Rt Hon Claire Perry MP, that the United Kingdom should explore tighter carbon controls and a goal of having net zero carbon emissions. Our polling, which showed that 64% of UK adults agree the UK should aim to cut its emissions to zero over the next few decades was also cited.

Sam said that by "adopting a net zero target, the government is therefore seizing a great opportunity to appeal to key younger voters without trading off existing voters". 

Read the full article here.

Climate change latest: UK becomes first developed economy to examine Paris agreement commitments

Bright Blue's polling on British attitudes towards a cutting carbon emissions to net zero within the next few decades was featured in an article by the Independent. 

In our polling, we found that most people support the UK demonstrating international leadership on tackling climate and see economic benefits from doing so. The polling also revealed that there was significant support for cutting the UK's carbon emissions to zero, as the Minister of State for Clean Growth and Energy, the Rt Hon Claire Perry MP, hinted at this week. 

Read the full article here.