UK not on track to deliver net zero, CCC warns

29th June 2022


The UK's strategy for decarbonising the economy will not deliver net-zero emissions by 2050 if progress continues on its current trajectory, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) has warned today.

In a landmark 600-page assessment, the government advisors highlight “major failures” in net-zero delivery programmes, with a thorough review finding “scant evidence” of progress against headline climate goals.

Although there are some bright spots, particularly around the deployment of renewable energy and adoption of electric cars, in most areas, “the likelihood of under-delivery is high”, which the CCC describes as a “high-wire approach”.

It found a “shocking” gap in policy for insulating homes, while agriculture and land use have the weakest policies in its assessment, despite also being vital to delivering other goals on food security and biodiversity.

This is the first appraisal of the government’s Net Zero Strategy, published last year, finding that over a third of emission reduction plans cannot be relied on to deliver the cuts needed to meet the sixth carbon budget in the mid-2030s.

Commenting on the findings, IEMA CEO Sarah Mukherjee MBE, said: “The CCC’s report provides further evidence that we still have a long way to go to develop a credible net zero strategy, that business and society need to deliver on the 2050 target.

“A key aspect in this is ensuring that all jobs in the UK are greener. We must equip both the current and future workforce with the knowledge and skills to deliver on the climate agenda.

“IEMA’s 18,500 strong membership of environmental and sustainability professionals continue to try to make this a reality.”

UK emissions are now almost half those recorded in 1990, and although these rose 4% in 2021 as the economy began to recover from COVID-19, they were still 10% below 2019 levels.

The CCC's assessment outlines how the areas of strongest progress are backed and led by well-designed government policies, such as with emissions from electricity, which have fallen by nearly 70% in the last decade.

Electric cars are also being adopted in greater numbers each year, with the rise already ahead of CCC and government growth projections, showing that consumers and households are willing to adopt low-carbon options when offered a cost-effective, good quality product.

However, when it comes to energy efficiency, the UK continues to have some of the leakiest homes in Europe, and installations of insulation remain at “rock bottom”, with average annual energy bills around £40 higher than if insulation rates from pre-2012 had continued for the last decade.

Progress in reducing farming emissions has also been “glacial”, and the government’s Food Strategy published a fortnight ago did little to address these issues, according to the assessment.

It explains how the risks of policy failures cannot be tackled credibly with an even greater reliance on greenhouse gas removal technologies, and calls on the government to develop contingency plans, such as encouraging healthier diets and fewer flights.

The strategy also highlights how there is still no public engagement strategy three years after the net-zero target was signed into law, and how the government has yet to set out how the full range of costs and benefits of the transition will be shared.

It states that the government must urgently review its tax strategy to support the transition, deliver a comprehensive reform of planning legislation to reflect the UK’s international and national commitments, and publish a Future Homes Strategy.

Bottlenecks, such as skills gaps and planning consents for infrastructure, should also be “anticipated and tackled early”.

The CCC revamped its framework for monitoring the UK’s climate progress in its assessment, focusing on the changes needed on the ground to achieve net zero, and developing detailed new progress indicators.

CCC chairman, Lord Deben, said: “It's no ordinary report, it really is a necessary programme for survival.

“The UK is a champion in setting new climate goals, now we must be world-beaters in delivering them. In the midst of a cost-of living crisis, the country is crying out to end its dependence on expensive fossil fuels.

“I welcome the government’s restated commitment to net zero, but holes must be plugged in its strategy urgently. The window to deliver real progress is short. We are eagle-eyed for the promised action.”

Image credit: iStock

Subscribe

Subscribe to IEMA's newsletters to receive timely articles, expert opinions, event announcements, and much more, directly in your inbox.


Transform articles

UK’s CCUS strategy based on outdated assumptions, government warned

The UK government’s carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) strategy is based on optimistic techno-economic assumptions that are now outdated, Carbon Tracker has warned.

13th March 2024

Read more

The UK’s new biodiversity net gain (BNG) requirements could create 15,000 hectares of woodlands, heath, grasslands, and wetlands and absorb 650,000 tonnes of carbon each year.

13th March 2024

Read more

The UK government’s latest Public Attitudes Tracker has found broad support for efforts to tackle climate change, although there are significant concerns that bills will rise.

13th March 2024

Read more

Multinational corporations are undermining their net-zero commitments with excessive air travel and no plans to reduce ‘the low hanging fruit’ of carbon footprints, a study by Transport & Environment has found.

13th March 2024

Read more

The UK government’s climate adaptation plans are ‘inadequate’ and falling ‘far short’ of what is required, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) has warned today.

13th March 2024

Read more

Large businesses across the world are avoiding climate action due to fear they will be called out for getting their work wrong, according to a new Carbon Trust report.

29th February 2024

Read more

A thought-provoking discussion on how storytelling can change the world took place in Central London last night, alongside an exclusive sneak preview of an upcoming IEMA film series.

29th February 2024

Read more

The UK’s net-zero economy grew 9% last year while delivering higher paid jobs than average and attracting billions of pounds in private investment, analysis by CBI Economics has uncovered.

28th February 2024

Read more

Media enquires

Looking for an expert to speak at an event or comment on an item in the news?

Find an expert

IEMA Cookie Notice

Clicking the ‘Accept all’ button means you are accepting analytics and third-party cookies. Our website uses necessary cookies which are required in order to make our website work. In addition to these, we use analytics and third-party cookies to optimise site functionality and give you the best possible experience. To control which cookies are set, click ‘Settings’. To learn more about cookies, how we use them on our website and how to change your cookie settings please view our cookie policy.

Manage cookie settings

Our use of cookies

You can learn more detailed information in our cookie policy.

Some cookies are essential, but non-essential cookies help us to improve the experience on our site by providing insights into how the site is being used. To maintain privacy management, this relies on cookie identifiers. Resetting or deleting your browser cookies will reset these preferences.

Essential cookies

These are cookies that are required for the operation of our website. They include, for example, cookies that enable you to log into secure areas of our website.

Analytics cookies

These cookies allow us to recognise and count the number of visitors to our website and to see how visitors move around our website when they are using it. This helps us to improve the way our website works.

Advertising cookies

These cookies allow us to tailor advertising to you based on your interests. If you do not accept these cookies, you will still see adverts, but these will be more generic.

Save and close