Court threat on emissions targets despite climate change moves

BOOSTING home energy efficiency and clean power, driving take-up of electric cars and planting new forests are among measures to tackle climate change set out by the Government.

But ministers could face the threat of legal action over the long-awaited clean growth strategy, which still looks set to fall short of meeting key legal targets to cut carbon emissions, it has been warned.

The strategy, which aims to cut greenhouse gases while boosting the economy and keeping bills down, sets out measures for housing, businesses, transport, agriculture and the power sector, and for making the UK a “world leader” in green finance.

Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said: “This Government has put clean growth at the heart of its Industrial Strategy to increase productivity, boost people’s earning power and ensure Britain continues to lead the world in change.”

The strategy aims to close the gap on meeting legally-binding targets to cut emissions in the 2020s and meet further legal targets by 2032.

But even with new policies and proposals that could be developed from the strategy, the document published by the Government shows the UK is likely to miss its carbon targets for the 2020s and early 2030s.

Environmental law firm ClientEarth, which has taken the Government to court over failures on air pollution, said it was set to miss its emissions reductions target for 2023-2027 by 116 million tonnes – equivalent to the annual emissions of the Philippines.

“Ministers do seem to be trying to make up lost ground with their new strategy, but they have not done enough. ClientEarth will be considering its legal options,” it warned. efforts to tackle climate