Our Response to the CCC Progress Report

The UK’s independent advisor on climate change, the Climate Change Committee, has published its latest progress report to Parliament.

The report provides a comprehensive overview of the UK Government’s progress to date in reducing emissions and highlights how this is a pivotal point in our journey to Net Zero. The UK is one of the few countries with emissions targets in line withthe long-term goals of the Paris Agreement.

The CCC acknowledges that the UK now has a solid Net Zero strategy in place but suggests that important policy gaps remain.  The Committee indicates that progress is lagging the ambitions set out in policies and that ‘greater emphasis and focus must be placed on delivery’.

The Committee also highlights that the rising cost of living should be aligned with the Net Zero Strategy with action needed to reduce demand for fosssil fuels which will reduce emissions and limit energy bills.

We’re working through the detailed recommendations in the report but it’s clear that it doesn’t pull any punches about the lack of tangible progress in some areas.

This includes the need to strengthen plans to decarbonise buildings and the urgent action required to deliver on commitments to set-up a public energy advice service to provide households with guidance on making their homes energy efficient. We see this as a key element of a national programme to retrofit the UK’s ageing housing stock.

Gareth Griffiths, our Chief Executive, comments on the publication of the Committee’s report,

“The Committee’s latest report is a damning indictment on the gap between the rhetoric of ambitious net zero targets and the reality of the lack of delivery.

 “The report highlights how insulating our leaky homes would help reduce energy bills and boost energy security as well as reducing CO2

“We urgently need a National Retrofit Strategy to kickstart the retrofit revolution and make warm homes affordable for all as well as reaching the Government’s goal of net zero emissions by 2050. 

“We’d like to see the Government deliver, at pace, on a wide-ranging package to support green building including: grants, stamp duty reform to incentivise creation of energy efficient homes, tightening building regulations, building the retrofit supply chain and driving the market for green finance.”