Advisers say government still falling short on climate action

The Committee on Climate Change is set to criticise ongoing failures by the government to tackle the issues of overheating homes, flash floods, loss of biodiversity and the other threats posed as our planet continues to overheat dangerously.

In its annual progress report, to be published on 25 June, the government’s advisory body will raise further questions over the nation’s inadequate response to the climate crisis.

Last year, the committee complained that no areas of the UK’s response to the climate crisis were being tackled properly. This year, the committee will highlight the fact that virtually no progress has been made over the past year to tackle the misery that will be brought by climate change. And although global carbon emissions have decreased during the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns, many scientists warn that any benefits for the climate are likely to be temporary.

The CCC is expected to make a number of key proposals to try to get the UK back on track and moving towards its commitment to bring all greenhouse gas emissions in the UK to net zero by 2050. The body is expected to recommend: enforcing strict environmental conditions to any corporate bailouts made during the pandemic crisis, in line with standards imposed in France, Germany and Canada; making major improvements in broadband provision and cycling routes to ensure the nation avoids a surge in car use as people return to work while trying to avoid using buses and trains; consideration of a new tax on fossil fuels; and introducing new policies on energy efficiency in buildings, planting more trees, and protecting peatland.

Bob Ward, policy director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change, said: "The UK is due to host the critical United Nations climate change summit next year, but its credibility as a climate leader is now under threat. Successive committee reports have warned we are not on course to meet our carbon budgets which set future emissions targets. The government needs to use the economic recovery packages from Covid-19 to put us back on track.”