- The UK’s new target is an 81% emissions cut by 2035
- The Government will continue to provide £11.6bn of climate finance until March 2026
- The 6th and latest carbon budget, from 2033 – 2037, has been set at 78%
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has set a target of cutting the UK’s carbon emissions by 81% in just over a decade at the UN conference of the parties (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan.
By setting the 2035 deadline, Starmer said he wanted the UK to take the lead in the fight against carbon emissions and that he wants the UK to win the race for “clean energy jobs of the future” and “the economy of tomorrow”.
The aim has been set based on recommendations from the UK’s independent climate change committee (CCC) which aims to limit global warming to 1.5°C compared to 1990 levels. It will go before Parliament before February 2025.
Under the previous government, the original pledge was 78% by 2035, 3% less than the new goal. However, that included international aviation and shipping emissions and was already an improvement on a pledge of 68% reduction by 2030.
Additionally, Starmer has also committed to continuing to provide £11.6bn of climate finance until March 2026 and announced a £1bn investment in a wind turbine project in Hull, a plan that will create 1,300 local jobs.
Since winning the general election in July, Labour has made investing in low-carbon technology (LCT) a priority and has promised to turn the UK into a ‘clean energy superpower’.
Alasdair Johnstone from the Energy Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) welcomed the announcement, saying that in the past there has been “a clear recognition around the world” that the UK is “a leader on tackling climate change”.
Johnstone also praised the UK Parliament for “being greener than its predecessor” and suggested this points to consistent support from the public for green initiatives.
“The new Government, elected on stronger climate change policy commitments, brings with it a much bigger majority of MPs who recognise the importance of that climate leadership, reflecting the fact that this is an issue that genuinely matters to voters,” Johnstone explained.
Why does the UK have to cut carbon emissions?
The UK signed a legally-binding agreement towards net zero emissions by 2050 as written in the 2015 Paris Agreement at COP21.
It means that every five years, the UK has to create new nationally determined contributions (NDCs) for carbon reduction, resulting in a jump from 68% by 2030 to 81% in 2035.
All countries who signed up to the Paris Agreement are required to submit their carbon reduction targets by February 2025.
The UK is also a signatory of the 2008 Climate Change Act whereby domestic agreements on carbon budgets are made in five year chunks until 2050, including international aviation and shipping emissions, unlike the NDC.
Energy minister, Kerry McCarthy, said it was “really important” that the UK is “stepping up and showing global ambition”.
“Reaching net zero in this country and getting to clean power by 2030 is a massive opportunity – it is not a cost,” McCarthy said.
Will the UK hit its target?
The UK has already halved its annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions since 1990. Achieving the 81% drop by 2035 will be “difficult” but “achievable”, according to Starmer.
To do so will require the government convincing the population to make environmentally-friendly changes to their lives, without which it will be very difficult to make significant carbon reductions, according to the CCC.
These changes could possibly include paying more for meat and dairy due to higher taxes and the phasing out of petrol cars.
According to the National Home Energy Survey (NHES), a majority of people said they would not be willing to give up meat, dairy or even pay more for their flights.
“It’s not about telling people how to live their lives – I’m not interested in that,” Starmer said.
“I am interested in making sure their energy bills are stable, that we’ve got energy independence, and that we also along the way pick up the next generation of jobs.”
The interim chair of the CCC, Professor Piers Forster said: “Our analysis shows that this is a feasible target that will support jobs and investment.
“A target is only as meaningful as the delivery against it. The UK needs to get back on track to deliver against our existing 2030 NDC commitment.
“We need to see further urgent action to speed up deployment of low-carbon solutions such as electric vehicles, heat pumps, and tree planting.”
What is COP29 and why is it important?
This year marks 29th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference, and the choice of host, Azerbaijan, is a controversial one as the country is a major exporter of oil and gas and one of the world’s leading sources of GHG emissions.
This year’s agenda includes deciding how much each nation will contribute to the world’s fight against climate change and laying the groundwork for next year’s COP30 summit.
The UK has called on other countries to match their efforts, however, only seven of the Group of 20 (G20) leaders attended the summit, with 13 absentees including the leaders of the US, China, France and Germany.
The need to address climate change is particularly relevant 2024 has so far been the hottest year on record.
According to the World Meteorological Organisation, January to September 2024 saw “an extended streak of exceptionally high monthly global mean temperatures”, 1.54 C above pre-industrial levels.
The UN warned that without further efforts, the world is on course for a temperature rise of 3.1°C.
Donald Trump’s recent victory in the US presidential election has caused concerns about the country’s climate targets.
Trump has repeatedly stated his opposition to the US government’s carbon-cutting initiatives, such as the Green New Deal and the Inflation Reduction Act. He has also made clear he will allow more extensive oil drilling, including in previously protected regions of the US.
On top of that, he plans to take the US, the world’s second-largest emitter after China, out of the Paris Agreement, which potentially threatens the future of the international plan against climate change.
