The Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science today (Thursday 27 June 2019) welcomed the signing into law of the statutory instrument to strengthen the long-term target in the Climate Change Act 2008 to net zero annual emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050.

Professor Sam Fankhauser, director of the Institute and a former member of the UK Committee on Climate Change, said; “This is tremendous news and is an act of true international leadership by the UK Government. It is significant that the new legislation was passed unopposed in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, indicating the extent of political consensus on the need for urgent action to tackle climate change. This new target will provide a clear signal to investors about the direction of Government policy and should help to unlock billions of pounds of investment in the transition to a zero-carbon economy. However, the UK’s political leaders now need to focus on putting in place the policies to realise the target. At present, the UK is not on target to meet its targets for emissions reductions by the late 2020s and early 2030s. Much stronger policies are needed to accelerate the phase out of gas central heating and fossil fuel powered vehicles, for instance.”

Bob Ward, policy and communications director at the Institute, said: “This is a historic demonstration of political leadership by the Government of the world’s fifth largest economy. The UK started the industrial revolution and is now leading by example the transition to zero-carbon economic growth and development. Since the Climate Change Act became law in 2008, the UK has reduced its annual emissions of greenhouse gases by 30.2 per cent while its GDP has expanded by 13.5 per cent. The UK is proving that tackling climate change is consistent with sustainable economic growth.”

 

For more information about this media release, please contact Bob Ward on +44 (0) 7811 320346.

 

NOTES FOR EDITORS

  1. The Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment (https://www.lse.ac.uk/grantham) was launched at the London School of Economics and Political Science in October 2008. It is funded by The Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment (https://www.granthamfoundation.org/).
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