Press release
Media reaction: UK's climate advisors outline urgent task for new government
18 July 2024
The Climate Change Committee has today published its 2024 emissions reduction progress report and said that the UK remains largely off-track in meeting its legally-binding climate targets.
The report found that the UK has credible plans in place for only a third of the emissions reductions required for its 2030 target and for just a quarter of the reductions required to meet its carbon budget starting in 2033.
The Committee – made up of independent advisors to government – has presented the newly elected government with ten recommendations to put the country back on track, including reversing last year’s rollback on existing climate commitments.
In response to today’s publication of the Climate Change Committee’s 2024 progress report, ClientEarth lawyer Sam Hunter Jones said:
“This report makes it unequivocally clear that despite positive early steps, an urgent task lies before this new government – fortunately the action we need to see would benefit people across the UK.
“Delivering a new climate plan backed by credible policies by next May is also a legal obligation for the new government, following the High Court’s recent judgment.
“The UK has managed to halve its emissions compared to 1990 levels, largely due to the closure of coal power stations and a shift to wind and solar energy. But to now meet our legally-binding targets, the government needs to ensure emissions across each and every sector will also be reduced in time.
“The good news is many of the solutions are already available to this government. Comprehensive action on home insulation and large-scale public transport investments would slash UK emissions and make a serious dent in addressing the cost-of-living crisis facing many households.
“These policies would create thousands of jobs up-and-down the country, and could spear-head the economy-wide, green investment that the new government has promised to deliver.
“Such policies would also help to put the country back on track to meeting its targets and start to fill the holes in the existing plan that was found unlawful by the courts.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
On 3 May, the High Court ruled for the second time that the then-government's climate plan was unlawful in a case taken by ClientEarth, Friends of the Earth and the Good Law Project.
For more information on the outcome and the case itself, please see the release we issued at the time of the judgment.
About ClientEarth
ClientEarth is a non-profit organisation that uses the law to create systemic change that protects the Earth for – and with – its inhabitants. We are tackling climate change, protecting nature and stopping pollution, with partners and citizens around the globe. We hold industry and governments to account, and defend everyone’s right to a healthy world. From our offices in Europe, Asia and the USA we shape, implement and enforce the law, to build a future for our planet in which people and nature can thrive together.