Environmental Audit committee chairman responds to Climate Change Committee progress report

Reacting to the Climate Change Committee’s progress report, Environmental Audit Committee Chairman, Rt Hon Philip Dunne MP, said:

“The Climate Change Committee’s progress report offers a frank assessment of the Government’s environmental progress to date. The UK has made much headway in creating a cleaner electricity system over the last decade, but we have a long way to go to clean up transport, industry and our homes and buildings. The Covid crisis has clearly diverted Government from this task. But now we must move beyond warm words: now is the time for policies that deliver strong incentives to cut carbon across the economy.

“The CCC has pointed out that Government policies do not yet match lofty Ministerial ambitions. More worryingly, it appears that the Government is not yet prepared for the honest debate with the public about the changes that we must all consider starting to make within the lifetime of this Parliament. From our own work on the Committee, it is clear that consumption of fast fashion and single-use plastics must reduce, that practical low carbon home heating options must be made available at reasonable cost, and that we must be more mindful about reusing and recycling our electrical items. The climate emergency requires straight talking, strategic vision and decisive policy action. I urge the Government to up their game.”