Despite much opposition Britain has set itself a tough target. The government said it would aim to curb carbon emissions by 2027 to 50% of the 1990 levels. The target is quite optimistic and the advisers and politicians have opposed claiming that it is quite hard to meet.
Britain has also set binding targets for greenhouse gas emissions over four five year periods to 2027. They call them carbon budgets and they aim for cutting emissions by 80% from the 1990 levels by the middle of the century, quite optimistic indeed.
Ed Davey, secretary of state for energy and climate change said on Tuesday that retaining the budget at its existing level ensures certainty for investors by demonstrating the government’s commitment to their long term goal of curbing carbon emissions substantially.
The budget that will be covering the period from 2023 to 2027 has been a point of conflict among the politicians, some of who suggest a more reachable goal and a weaker emission cut target so that the economy doesn’t suffer as a result.
On the other hand advisers have suggested that curbing the goal down may undermine investor confidence in the type of technology that emits less carbon. The fourth carbon budget was set in 2011 but it was agreed that it would be considered for revision by 2014.zero carbon britain
However Davey says that any revision now would be “premature” especially because of the ongoing negotiations in the EU to agree to cut green house gases down by 40% by October 2030.
The Committee on Climate Change warned the Parliament last week that despite rigorous reforms to their electricity market Britain still risked missing its goals set under the fourth budget.