UK government claims ambitious climate targets but omissions leave questions

Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) were agreed under the Paris Climate Agreement and commit the UK to reducing emissions or fail to meet targets that we agreed to, so nothing short of ambitious goals and ways to meet them were expected.

Rachel Kennerley, climate campaigner for Friends of the Earth, said:

“The Prime Minister is keen to talk about this being a global effort which is helpful because it makes us think about what we are doing globally, too. And right now, we are funding a climate-wrecking gas mega-project in Mozambique that is adding to civil unrest.

“It’s convenient omissions like this that show today’s announcement is only half the story. The government is pouring billions into dirty oil and gas projects not just abroad but with eye-wateringly expensive and polluting roadbuilding in the UK. And just last week it cut the crucial aid that underpins climate action world-wide.

“It’s meaningless to set targets for 10 years in the future without action to deliver cuts now. It’s like constant Monday morning meetings, but with no action plan after.

“The Prime Minister has recognised that we’ve been driving the climate crisis for longer than most other countries and so it’s right we lead on the solutions. This means cutting emissions at home, stopping financing oil and gas projects, and boosting our investments in a rapid and fair shift to clean energy world-wide.”