CCC welcomes news that UK Government will take steps to ratify Paris Agreement

22 Sep 2016 01:54 PM

The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) yesterday welcomed the UK Government’s announcement that it will take the necessary steps to ratify the Paris Agreement.

The Paris Agreement is the international framework that seeks to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and limit climate change. The UK is the latest nation to confirm it intends to ratify the UN-led pact.

Lord Deben, Chairman of the Committee on Climate Change, said:

“It is to the Government’s credit that the UK has committed to ratify the Paris Agreement. This is an historic moment; we will be joining leading economies, including the USA and China, to ensure the world continues to work together to tackle the causes of dangerous climate change.

“The Paris Agreement provides the international basis for the CCC’s independent advice to the UK Government on how to reduce UK emissions in the most cost-effective way. Its ratification, if approved by Parliament, will focus attention on how the Government plans to deliver the fourth and fifth carbon budgets – the domestic mechanism for reducing UK emissions in support of global climate action. There is now a unique opportunity for UK business to play a leading role in delivering Britain’s low-carbon economy.”

On 13 October, the Committee on Climate Change will publish new analysis looking at the implications of the Paris Agreement for UK climate targets and strategy.

The CCC will also publish an assessment of how the UK Government can tackle the critical issue of reducing emissions from heating the UK’s buildings in order to meet the fourth and fifth carbon budgets.

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