The UK must reinstate the 2030 phase-out of new fossil-fuel car and van sales to reach a critical net zero goal, the Climate Change Committee says.
Only a third of the emissions reductions required to achieve the UK’s 2030 interim net zero target are currently covered by credible plans, according to the UK’s climate change advisors in a newly published progress report which calls for urgent action to get back on track.
The UK has committed to reduce emissions in 2030 by 68% compared to 1990 levels, as its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement. It is the first UK target set in line with net zero and is now only six years away but the country is not on track to hit this target despite a significant reduction in emissions in 2023.
The committee says the previous government gave inconsistent messages on its commitment to the actions needed to reach net zero, and sets out where action is urgently needed.