British PM announces ambitious new emissions target

ISLAMABAD: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced ambitious new emissions target, setting the UK on the path to net zero by 2050, leading the way in tackling climate change globally.

New plan aims for at least 68% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the end of the decade, compared to 1990 levels. The UK commits to reducing emissions by the fastest rate of any major economy, ahead of the Climate Ambition Summit later this month.

According to British High Commission, the target follows the Prime Minister’s 10-point plan to create and support 250,000 jobs whilst helping to eradicate country’s contribution to climate change.

The British prime minister announced Friday that a new ambitious target to reduce the UK’s emissions by at least 68% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.

“Recognising the urgency to go further to tackle climate change, the UK’s new target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – our Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Climate Agreement – is among the highest in the world and commits the UK to cutting emissions at the fastest rate of any major economy so far.

“Today’s target is the first set by the UK following its departure from the EU, demonstrating the UK’s leadership in tackling climate change. Over the past decade, the UK has cut carbon emissions by more than any similar developed country and was the first major economy to legislate for net zero emissions by 2050,” said the premier.

The announcement comes ahead of the UK co-hosting the Climate Ambition Summit on Saturday, Dec 12, which will coincide with the fifth anniversary of the historic Paris Agreement.

The new target meets the recommendation of experts at the independent Climate Change Committee, who advise the government on emissions targets.

The plan sets out ambitious policies and investment, with the potential to deliver over £40 billion of private investment by 2030, so that the country could develop innovative technologies and make significant strides in cutting emissions across energy, transport and buildings.

Business and Energy Secretary and COP26 President Alok Sharma said: “Tackling climate change is the one of the most urgent shared endeavours of our lifetimes, demanding bold action from every nation to prevent catastrophic global warming.

“As a country, we have demonstrated we can both rapidly cut carbon emissions, while creating new jobs, new technologies and future-proof industries that will generate economic growth for decades to come.

“The UK’s new emissions target is among the highest in the world and reflects the urgency and scale of the challenge our planet faces. I hope other countries join us and raise the bar at next week’s UN Climate Ambition Summit, and ahead of the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow next year.”

The UK’s previous NDC target was 53%. The UK will communicate its full Nationally Determined Contributions to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by the Climate Ambition Summit on 12 December, including the accompanying Information to Facilitate Clarity, Transparency and Understanding (ICTU).

The departments across government have worked to identify the highest possible ambition for the UK’s target, building on robust analysis of domestic decarbonisation potential; reflecting advice from the CCC and reflecting the temperature goals of the Paris Agreement and the equity principles identified in the IPCC 5th Assessment Report.