Parliamentary Committees and Public Enquiries
Printable version

Chair comments on Climate Change Committee report

Darren Jones, Chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, has commented today on the publication of the Climate Change Committee’s recommendation on the level of the Sixth Carbon Budget.

Image representing news article

Chair's comments

Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee Chair, Darren Jones, said:

“The CCC’s advice is welcome and its publication represents the world’s first pathway to deliver on a national net zero target. It’s encouraging to see the CCC set out that the UK’s ambitious 2050 net zero target is not only achievable but that it could be more affordable than previously thought. The CCC report also makes clear that economic recovery and the development of a green economy can go hand in hand - net zero can create jobs, make communities more resilient and improve the health and wellbeing of communities across the UK.

“The BEIS Committee will be undertaking work relating to the Climate Assembly and it is welcome that the CCC has listened to the results of Climate Assembly UK and built these into its recommendations on areas such as wind, solar and greenhouse gas removals.

“I hope the Government will now put its shoulder to the wheel and take up the CCC’s recommendations and put in place the key policies needed to deliver ahead of COP26 and ensure the UK is using its Presidency to lead the world by example.”

Background – BEIS Committee work relating to emissions trading, climate change, ‘net zero’, COP 26, and the Climate Assembly

The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee is leading the Parliamentary scrutiny of COP 26 has a standing inquiry for the Parliament on the UK’s ‘Net Zero’ target and the UN Climate Summits and in this Parliament has held sessions examining the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) 2020 Progress Report & the Climate Assembly UK Interim Report. On Tuesday 1 December, the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee held an evidence hearing on the Government’s leadership and preparations for the COP 26 Climate conference and on efforts to achieve net-zero, questioning witnesses include Claire O’Neill, former COP26 President and Minister for Energy and Clean Growth, and a panel of climate change experts.

The BEIS Committee inquiry on the UK ‘Net Zero’ target and the UN Climate Summits inquiry is considering issues including:

  • Progress in delivering the UK’s 2050 net zero target;
  • Progress in cutting emissions to meet the UK’s five-yearly Carbon Budgets;
  • The role of BEIS in leading climate change mitigation policy across Government;
  • The potential role of business and industry in the net zero agenda;
  • Preparations for the 2021 Climate Summit in Glasgow, and the UK’s performance as Summit host;
  • The ongoing role of the UK in international climate talks and initiatives to tackle climate change.

In a separate but related inquiry, launched in June, on Post-Pandemic Economic Growth the BEIS Committee will be looking at the options available to Government to secure our economic recovery from the impact of Covid-19; covering investment, industrial strategy, jobs, skills, exports and sustainable growth.

In October, the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy launched an inquiry examining the path to decarbonising heating in homes.

The BEIS Committee recently held evidence sessions looking at the future of carbon pricing and UK arrangements for an emissions trading scheme (ETS), including a session with Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth. Following the session, Darren Jones, BEIS Committee Chair, wrote to the Minister with a series of questions relating to the post-transition period regime for UK carbon pricing.

The BEIS Committee was one of six select committees of the House of Commons (joining Environmental Audit; Housing, Communities and Local Government; Science and Technology; Transport; and Treasury) to support the Climate Assembly UK, a citizens’ assembly on combatting climate change and achieving the pathway to net zero carbon emissions.

Darren Jones, BEIS Committee Chair, welcomed the Climate Assembly UK’s final report published in September, in the House of Commons. The Climate Assembly final report set out a clear, internally consistent and timely path for how the UK can reach its legally binding target of net zero emissions by 2050. Climate Assembly UK’s report showed how a representative sample of the population believe the UK should meet its net zero emissions commitment with detailed recommendations across ten areas including: how we travel; what we eat and how we use the land; what we buy; heat and energy use in the home; how we generate our electricity; and greenhouse gas removals.

Further information

 

Channel website: http://www.parliament.uk/

Original article link: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/365/business-energy-and-industrial-strategy-committee/news/137733/chair-comments-on-climate-change-committee-report/

Share this article

Latest News from
Parliamentary Committees and Public Enquiries

Free, Secure, Compliant UK Public Sector IT Recycling Service