The United Kingdom has long been a climastrology nation, especially its leaders, who love the notion of laws that give them more power and more money. UK leaders were big supporters of the Paris Climate Agreement, and were very upset when Donald Trump said the U.S. was going to pull out. They also have had their own laws on this. Certainly, the UK is upholding their Paris pledges and the law, right?
The UK is not on track to meet its carbon emissions targets for the next 15 years
The UK has a target of reducing its carbon emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050, as set out in the Climate Change Act 2008. To meet this target, the UK also sets “carbon budgets†on how much carbon it can emit in a five-year period.
Lord Deben, Chairman of the Committee on Climate Change this week said “the fact is that we’re off track to meet our own emissions targets in the 2020s and 2030sâ€, based on the carbon budgets for that period. The Committee on Climate Change is an independent body which advises the government on emissions targets, and was formed under the Climate Change Act 2008. (snip)
This week, a report by the Committee on Climate Change said “Our conclusion is that the Government’s current plans and proposals are not on track to meet carbon budgets.â€
They point out that in its Clean Growth Strategy, “the Government stated that a 5% yearly reduction (in emissions) was required to 2032 to meet the fifth carbon budget. The reduction in 2017 was therefore not on trackâ€â€”it was around 4% in reality.
We keep seeing these types of articles. Countries like Ireland, France, Germany, Canada, and so many others who have their own climate change laws and regs, ones who signed on to the Paris agreement and decried Trump cancelling America’s involvement, are failing to meet their targets. Surprise?
