The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has congratulated minister Graham Stuart for over-achieving its third carbon budget but has warned future emissions targets “must not be loosened”.
Under the UK’s Climate Change Act, carbon budgets are the legal targets for UK greenhouse emissions over a five-year period.
In its third carbon budget, between 2018 to 2022, the UK became the major economy to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50% between 1990 and 2022, while growing its economy by 79%, resulting in a surplus.
At the end of each carbon budget, the CCC must advise on the carry forward of any surplus but it has urged the government not to do so in case of weakening later budgets.
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CCC interim chair Piers Forster said: “We congratulate the government on meeting the latest emissions target – the Climate Change Act is working.
“But the path ahead is tougher and we risk losing momentum if future legal targets are loosened on a technicality.
“The UK is already substantially off track for 2030 and the government must resist the temptation to take their foot off the accelerator.”
The warning released today is consistent with previous advice that surplus emissions from the first and second carbon budgets should not be carried forward.
