The UK has restated ambitious plans to reduce its emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases by 81% by 2035, but has not explained how it will achieve the goal.
In a new action plan submitted to the United Nations, the government signed up to global goals to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030.
However, it has not set targets for sectors like farming, aviation, or energy to address those sectors’ contributions to climate change.
The UN called the plans “bold” and told other countries to follow suit.
The announcement from Energy and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband comes a day after many environmentalists criticised the government’s backing of a third runway at Heathrow Airport.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer originally announced the emissions plans in November.
All nations which signed the United Nations’ (UN) landmark Paris climate agreement in 2015 are obliged to submit climate action plans, which are called Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in UN jargon, every five years.
Together the strategies are designed to ramp up action globally until the world reaches net zero – the point when no more greenhouse gases are added to the atmosphere – and keeps the global temperature rise at 1.5C.
This NDC lists plans already announced by the government, including a goal of producing 95% of electricity from clean energy sources by 2030.
It also formally signed up the UK to the global goal of tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030.
Dr Robin Lamboll, from Imperial College London, says the UK’s plan “doesn’t have any nasty surprises”, but is not “particularly inspiring”.
He also said it gave a sense of “normality” to the Paris agreement after US President Donald Trump pledged to leave the treaty.
Sir Keir was hailed a global climate leader in November when he announced the UK’s new emissions target.
The latest plans confirm that position, says Prof Joeri Rogelj, from Imperial College London.
He said it “follows the advice of [the government’s] scientific advisory committee”, but says that policies must follow, in order to fulfil the ambitious promises.
Miliband said more details will be published soon, and that emissions from international aviation or shipping will be accounted for in plans that begin in 2033 in the Sixth Carbon Budget.
The Budget advises the government on the amounts of greenhouse gas emissions that can be produced between 2033 and 2037 if the UK is to fulfil its climate targets.
UN climate chief Simon Stiell called on other countries to submit their plans, saying “no-one can afford to miss out”.
The plans must be received before 10 February, ahead of the next UN climate summit COP30 in Brazil in November.
