United Kingdom: is the government giving itself the means for its climate ambition?

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street in London in late May 2022. AP - Daniel Leal

Text by: RFI Follow |

RFI

1 min

Reaching “net zero” by 2050 is the goal set by the British government.

Net zero is when a country absorbs as much greenhouse gases as it emits.

One of the main solutions to global warming.

London may have given itself this ambition, but an independent climate committee publishes a devastating report.

Advertising

Read more

With our correspondent in London, 

Émeline Vin

The UK government has given itself the end, net zero in 2050, but not the means.

This is the substance of the conclusion of the Committee's report on climate change.

Main failure: the absence of a large-scale thermal insulation policy, the primary source of emissions for individuals.

And the United Kingdom starts from afar, with particularly humid housing.

However, reminds the CCC, insulating homes is the most effective way to lower electricity bills, which are exploding this year.

No strategy either, denounces the committee, on emissions linked to agriculture.

And too few awareness campaigns, to encourage the British to adapt their behavior – eat less red meat, prefer cycling to the car, fly less.

The government confirmed three weeks ago that it had no intention of “ 

taking itself for environmental lobbies 

”.

Without putting in place a sustainable strategy, the United Kingdom will not reach net zero in 25 years.

But the CCC nevertheless underlines two good points: good production of renewable energies, and the popularization of electric cars.

The CCC's new climate 'progress' report is the most critical yet.

It is clear that the government will fail to meet its own climate targets without much more ambitious action - not least on home insulation.

We still have time to act, but not much.https://t.co/wFCVscOX0T

— Alan Whitehead (@alanwhiteheadmp) June 29, 2022

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_EN

  • UK

  • Climate change

  • Climate

  • Environment