UK to Lay Down Net Zero Emissions Target in Law

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UK to Lay Down Net Zero Emissions Target in Law

Legislation laid on Wednesday will put the UK on track to become the first G7 country to set a net zero emissions target in law.

The government announced that a statutory instrument will be placed in parliament today which will amend the Climate Change Act 2008. The target is to get to net zero by 2050.

“This country led the world in innovation during the industrial revolution, and now we must lead the world to a cleaner, greener form of growth,” UK Prime Minister Theresa May said in a government statement.

“Standing by is not an option. Reaching net zero by 2050 is an ambitious target, but it is crucial that we achieve it,” May added.

The UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Greg Clark, said, “through our modern industrial strategy we’re investing in clean growth to ensure we reap the rewards and create two million high quality jobs by 2030”.

The trade body for the UK onshore oil and gas industry, UKOOG, welcomed the development.

“In order to meet our natural gas demand, as outlined by the Committee on Climate Change under net zero, our import dependency could rise to 86 percent, with those imports having an emissions intensity double that of UK shale gas,” UKOOG Chief Executive Ken Cronin said in an organization statement.

“We should produce our supply of natural gas here at home, creating UK jobs, supply chain opportunities and tax revenues in the process,” he added.