Climate change: UK sets new 2030 carbon emissions target
Boris Johnson has set a drastic new climate change target in a bid to reach its target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The government’s new target will see the UK try to cut CO2 emissions by 68 per cent by 2030, compared to 1990.
The UK’s previous 2030 climate change target was to have reduced 1990’s level of emissions by 53 per cent.
The announcement comes after Johnson laid out a ten point plan last month for the UK to reach its 2050 climate change target.
It includes banning the sale of new diesel and petrol cars by 2030, providing £582m in grants to aid buyers of low or zero emission vehicles and spending £500m on developing hydrogen technologies to heat homes.
Johnson also announced a £160m plan in October to make the UK the largest producer of offshore wind power.
In a statement released tonight, Johnson said: “Today, we are taking the lead with an ambitious new target to reduce our emissions by 2030, faster than any major economy, with our Ten Point Plan helping us on our path to reach it.
“But this is a global effort, which is why the UK is urging world leaders as part of next week’s Climate Ambition Summit to bring forward their own ambitious plans to cut emissions and set net zero targets.”
Alistair Phillips-Davies, chief executive of SSE energy company, said the new target was “among the most ambitious in the world”.
“This kind of bold and decisive policy-making will help unlock the investment needed to deliver on our net zero ambitions, tackle climate change and help spur a green recovery from the coronavirus crisis,” he said.
Responding to the announcement, shadow business secretary Ed Miliband said: “Our goal should be to go further and faster, cutting the significant majority of emissions in this decisive decade, which is the right way to lead in creating the climate jobs of the future and keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees.”