UK Should Aim For 60% Cut in Emissions, Says Committee

The UKâ€™s Committee on Climate Change yesterday recommended an emissions cut target for 2030 of 60% relative to 1990 levels, or 46% relative to current levels. It would then require a 62% emissions reduction from 2030 to meet the 2050 target in the UKâ€™s Climate Change Act. To achieve the goal, less than 1% of GDP would be required, the organization estimates. So here a few of the points raised by them.

Energy

The Committee made several recommendations related to energy, including investment in wind and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). It also recommended nuclear as part of the package, although most environmentalists would disagree with that. Another suggestion is the use of smart meters to homes and non-residential buildings so people can better control their consumption to reduce energy bills.

Transportation

The Committee believes in meeting a 45% reduction in emissions by 2030 through the use of electric cars and vans. It suggests that a 60% share of electric vehicles in new vehicles by 2030 would be compatible with the recommended target, by which time there could be 11 million electric cars and 1.5 million vans on the road. Hydrogen could be used to power Heavy Goods Vehicles and half of all buses.

Buildings

These should be better insulated, the Committee says, with half of all homes with leaky solid walls insulated by 2030 (3.5 million). 30% of all households should be using heat pumps to replace conventional heaters.

Read more on the Committee on Climate Change website.