Accelerating towards its aspiration of net zero carbon emissions, the UK Government has today ratified a 2035 target of 78% reduction on 1990’s level.
In early December, the government set a 2030 target of 68% reduction relative to 1990.
The metric will for the first time incorporate the UK’s share of international aviation and shipping emissions. Campaigners had long criticised the government for allowing these off-shore carbon emissions to fall between the cracks of accountability.
The announcement positions the UK as leading the way ahead of the UN’s climate summit COP26, which the UK will host in Glasgow in early November, and virtual climate talks that Joe Biden will host on Thursday.
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Europe Enhances its Greenhouse Gas Goals
Sources
UK enshrines new target in law to slash emissions by 78% by 2035, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (UK Government), 2021-04-21
Graph from 2018 UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Provisional Figures, Ibid. , 2018-03-28
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