UK Takes Lead on Enshrining Net-Zero Emissions Target in Law

Commenting on the news that the UK government will enact climate change legislation to cut carbon emissions effectively to zero, Graham Stuart MP said: “At the Paris climate summit, all governments agreed to eliminate carbon emissions during this century, and so it’s logical for governments to enshrine this target in national legislation.

“The UK has taken a lead, and that’s very welcome – it sets an example to the rest of the international community including our close neighbours in Europe, and it should mean that UK businesses are even better placed to take advantage of the global low-carbon transition.

“This move, for which I applaud ministers, is one of the first concrete demonstrations that the Paris Agreement was something quite remarkable; but it certainly won’t be the last.”

Graham Stuart is MP for Beverley and Holderness, President of GLOBE UK, and was co-signatory to the call for enshrining the targets set out in the Paris climate agreement in UK domestic law. He sits of the advisory board of the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU).

In response to the announcement, WWF’s Head of Climate and Energy, Emma Pinchbeck, said: “The announcement by Andrea Leadsom that the Government would look to legislate a zero carbon target is a recognition that the UK can be at the forefront of a brave new low-carbon world.

“We look forward to this promise being followed up with ambitious action – there is a great opportunity for further climate change leadership on the horizon as the Government must put in place the fifth carbon budget, including our targets for 2030,  by June of this year. We will be campaigning to ensure this is consistent with this week’s forward-looking commitment to a zero carbon future.

WWF is really proud to have been part of the coalition of businesses, cross-party MPs, and civil society that asked Government to recognise the historic Paris deal by amending our flagship climate change policy to aim even higher, at a zero carbon economy.”