WWF: UK needs to bolster its climate policy ahead of COP26
The UK has been urged to slash its environmental footprint by 75 per cent by 2030 by WWF, to bolster its climate policy ahead of COP26.
In its latest report titled ‘Thriving Within Our Planetary Means’, the environmental charity warned that the UK has a disproportionately high impact on climate and nature.
“The UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world, yet our environmental footprint extends far beyond these shores,” WWF chief executive Tanya Steele said.
“If the UK is to stand as a global green leader at the COP26 climate summit, we must pull our weight in addressing the planetary crisis and ensure all commitments meet the scale of the challenge.”
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COP26, the UN’s flagship climate conference, is due to be held in Glasgow in November.
The UK is set to host the climate conference, however, the report concluded that the UK’s greenhouse gas footprint per capita is over six times the WWF’s limit.
Meanwhile, biomass consumption footprint per capita is nearly double the limit.
WWF recommendations
To not create irreversible changes to our environment, how society uses greenhouse gas emissions, nitrogen, phosphorous, and materials like coal or steel, needs to be rethought, the charity said.
To successfully cut its footprint by 75 per cent, WWF said the UK should make sure agricultural and forestry supply chains cause zero deforestation by 2023.
Reducing raw material and commodity consumption by 40 per cent by 2030 is also key.
Just last week think tank Global Energy Monitor warned that the global steel industry may have to write off up to $70bn in assets if it keeps betting on coal.
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The WWF report advised halving biomass consumption, as well as the consumption of agricultural products, animal products, forestry products by 2030.
“Adding a legally binding target to the Environment Bill to slash our environmental footprint at home and overseas by 2030 is an essential step, and this report provides a roadmap to deliver on that target once it’s in place,” Steele added.
Energy giants
Energy companies have begun opting for natural resources like wood pellets to produce energy, in the move away from fossil fuels.
Alongside shrinking commodity use, cutting out biomass will hit energy companies like Drax.
The British power company in February splashed £266m on Canadian biomass producer Pinnacle ahead of its coal plant closures next year.
WWF’s recommendations look to be particularly costly to businesses within commodity and energy sectors – like steel, coal and biomass centred firms.
However, the report said: “Currently, a significant proportion of the UK capital flows – which amounted to £1.5 trillion in 2019 – are committed to activities including petroleum, pharmaceuticals and plastics, and mining and quarrying that can be environmentally damaging.”
Redirecting finance, therefore, could offset some of the looming costs that businesses will face to meet WWF’s recommendations.
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