REA welcomes Climate Change Committee’s Sixth Carbon
Budget
● Climate Change Committee’s Sixth Carbon Budget promotes
a target for a 78% reduction in GHG emissions by 2035, bringing
their target forward by 15 years
● This complements the Government’s 68% reduction by
2030, as announced by the Prime Minister last week
● REA welcomes support for low carbon technologies, but
says concrete policy action is now required and more action
should be taken to reduce emissions in the aviation and HGVs
sectors
The REA has welcomed the Climate Change Committee’s Sixth Carbon
Budget, saying it offers a basis from which the government can
build their carbon emissions agenda.
The Carbon Budget calls for a 78% reduction in GHG emissions by
2035, bringing the target forward from 2050, as was being
proposed last year. Last week the Prime Minister announced the
aim of reducing emissions by 68% by the end of 2030.
The Budget also predicts that electric generation will have to
double by 2050 to match demand, but this will all be low-carbon,
and the hydrogen sector will be as large as the electricity
sector by the same date. Support is given to low-carbon
technologies, including bioenergy technologies and energy crops,
and 78% of peatland should be restored by 2050, with over 50,000
hectares of new forest being planted per year.
However, the REA says solid policy proposals are now needed to
deliver this and action must be taken sooner to reduce emissions
in the aviation and HGV sectors.
Dr Nina Skorupska CBE, Chief Executive of the Association
for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA), said:
“The headline from the Sixth Carbon Budget will be
the 78% reduction in GHG emissions being brought forward by
15 years and that this can be achieved whilst supporting green
jobs growth and an economic recovery. There are many additional
and welcome elements within the report - the support for
a range of bioenergy technologies and energy crops; the doubling
of electricity generation which will all be low-carbon; and the
restoration of peat landscapes and new woodland, are particular
highlights.
“We do believe that more needs to be done with regards to the
aviation sector and the heavy goods vehicle market for road
transport. The plans to transition to low-carbon alternatives by
2050 and 2040, respectively, are too conservative to have a
significant impact. We know that the Capex and Opex savings will
balance out any short-term cost if there is the ambition to take
action sooner.
“Nevertheless, this Carbon Budget does provide a basis from
which the government can look to build their carbon reduction
agenda. If we start reducing emissions today rather than
tomorrow, we will have a far greater chance of avoiding global
temperature rises and tackling climate change.”
