The government has published its response to the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) 2023 progress report. The CCC’s report was scathing, saying progress was slow and the publication of the Carbon Budget Delivery Plan (CBDP), setting out how the government plans to get to Net Zero, raised further concerns, with reduced confidence in the UK meeting its medium-term targets.

In its response, the government claims that

• the UK has one of the most ambitious targets in the G20, cutting emissions by at least 68% by 2030 on 1990 levels
• it is taking action to address the CCC’s main areas of concern, and responding to all the CCC’s recommendations
• it is making towards net zero against the metrics outlined in the Net Zero Strategy

But the government’s response has not impressed everyone, with the Aldersgate Group warning that “weakened ambition could see the UK miss out on crucial inward investment”. It says the government “must ensure it provides further policy clarity on areas where decarbonisation is urgently needed”, including:

• energy efficiency retrofits in the built environment
• accelerating the decarbonisation of heavy industry, and
• encouraging investment into renewable energy.