Why can’t the UK stick to the Net
Environmentalist groups Friends of the Earth, Client Earth and The Good Law Project took the UK government to court over its climate plan. The energy minister Claire Coutinho signed off on the UK's Climate plan without sufficient evidence that the plan was actually achievable. This led to the plan having to be redrafted wasting time a resources.
The three groups have previously taken the government to court in 2022 over the Net Zero Plan not being detailed enough. In response the government produced a plan which laid out how each of its policies would cut emissions.
Friends of the Earth lawyer Katie de Kauwe said: "This landmark ruling is a huge victory for climate justice and government transparency. It shows that the Climate Change Act is a piece of legislation which has teeth, and can, if necessary, be enforced through our court system if the government does not comply with its legal duties."
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) had to update its climate strategy to include a quantified account of how its policies will achieve the climate targets set.
The government has set a target to reduce green house gas emissions by 78% by 2035 against the 1990 levels. However the UKCCC estimated the government plan would only deliver a fifth of the emissions cuts in order to meet the targets.
The reason for concern is the signing of new North Sea oil and gas licenses annually. The new licences being signed must have Net Zero targets, however, GreenPeace said this move from the government was "backward-facing" and vowed to fight new licences in court. The Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho said that the new deals are to increase energy supply "security"
The Prime Minister has said that he is committed to meeting the Net Zero targets but not at the sacrifice of adding costs to UK citizens.
The Net Zero targets are also looking a little more unrealistic as the move over to electric cars has been delayed. The ban on petrol and diesel cars has been delayed by five years. Meaning the ban will not come into play until 2035 now. Mr Sunak is delaying the Net Zero in order to not impose "unacceptable costs" on families.
The International Energy Agency does not believe that the new licences are necessary as for a number of countries that have Net Zero pledges tend to fall short of their targets. Judging by recent news stories UK seems to unfortunately be following suit.
