UK ‘off course’ to meet net zero carbon ambitions by 2050

The IPPR think tank is warning that the UK is off course to meet its own net zero carbon ambitions by 2050 and restore nature.

On the eve of what would have been the start of COP26 in Glasgow, the think tank is urging the government to lead by example with ambitious action, as so far it has failed to deliver ‘the scale of investment needed to lead the world towards a low carbon future’.

However, the IPPR argues that, as the hosts of the COP26 global climate talks, the government has an opportunity to turn this around and show global leadership by setting out truly ambitious policy and investment commitments in their upcoming 10-point plan.

Their analysis reveals that over the course of this Parliament the government has committed to investing just 12 per cent of what is needed to meet their net zero emissions target. The think tank estimates that £33 billion a year in additional annual investment is needed to meet the net zero target, but only around £4 billion annually has so far been committed.

IPPR highlights key areas for investment, where the government needs to go further, such as: decarbonising homes and buildings, and providing an additional £10.3 billion a year to improve public transport services and efficiency, as well as boosting cycling and walking.

IPPR has previously calculated that 1.6 million jobs could be created up to 2030 through green investment, including in: better energy efficiency of homes and buildings, improved nature restoration, more sustainable public transport and providing financial support for Carbon Capture and Storage and hydrogen clusters.

Luke Murphy, IPPR Associate Director, said: “In announcing the government’s ten-point plan, the Prime Minister must significantly raise both the UK’s ambitions and targets on climate and nature, and radically scale-up the policies and investments needed to achieve them. Such ambition is not only good for the climate and nature but can be a huge driver of job creation, new industries and businesses right across the country.

“As the host of COP26 in 2021, the UK can use its domestic policy ambition to help inspire the rest of world and leverage greater ambition and action from other developed countries. As the fifth-largest contributor to cumulative global greenhouse gas emissions and given its unsustainable global environmental footprint, the UK also has a responsibility to take bolder action.”