The UK government announced on Tuesday that it will enshrine in law the world's most ambitious climate change target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 78 percent by 2035, in a major step forward on the current UK commitment to cut emissions by 68% by 2030
LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th April, 2021) The UK government announced on Tuesday that it will enshrine in law the world's most ambitious climate change target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 78 percent by 2035, in a major step forward on the current UK commitment to cut emissions by 68% by 2030.
According to a statement issued ahead of a virtual climate summit of 40 world leaders to be hosted by US President Joe Biden on Thursday, the legislation will include for the first time the United Kingdom's share of emissions from international aviation and shipping.
"We want to continue to raise the bar on tackling climate change, and that's why we're setting the most ambitious target to cut emissions in the world," Prime Minister Boris Johnson was quoted as saying.
Johnson also urged world leaders to follow the UK and match its target in the run up to the UN Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, which is scheduled to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, in November.
Reacting earlier to media reports on the new emission cut, Labour lawmaker and shadow business secretary Ed Miliband accused the Conservative government of setting targets without implementing the policies to enforce them.
"While any strengthening of our targets is right, Ministers can't be trusted to match rhetoric with reality," Miliband tweeted, arguing that the government has been off track to meet current targets, lacks ambitious green recovery plans and has cut subsidies for electric vehicles.
Green Party lawmaker Carolina Lucas also took to Twitter to comment that the announcement would be a "welcome recognition" from the government of the need for faster climate action.
She warned, however, that targets are not enough, urging the government to address the underlying cause of the climate crisis and put the health of the people and the planet above endless the Growth Domestic Product growth.
The bill setting the new emission target will be tabled on Wednesday in Parliament and the government expects it to become law by the end of June.
