Carbon emission savings will not be rolled over

The government has decided not to roll over past carbons savings into the UK’s current five-year emissions budget.

The UK overachieved by 15% on delivering its legally binding emissions target for Carbon Budget 3, which covers 2018 to 2022.

UK emissions were 391 MtCO2e lower than allowed for in this budget, one of series setting out the UK’s statutory interim emissions savings targets en route to the 2050 goal of net zero.

The over-delivery is reported to have prompted discussion within government about whether the UK could ease the decarbonisation process by rolling forward some of those surplus emissions savings into the current carbon budget.

Under the Climate Change Act, if the UK emits fewer emissions than the legal limit, the government has the power to bank the surplus for later carbon budgets.

Theresa May’s government used this power to allow surplus emissions from the second carbon budget to be brought forward into the subsequent five-year period.

However the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has announced that past emissions savings will not be rolled forward.

The Climate Change Committee (CCC) had urged the government not to roll forward the emissions surplus because this would make future carbon budget targets harder to achieve by easing short term pressure to decarbonise activities. It pointed out that the scale of savings from the third budget was much bigger than those achieved over the previous five years.

Justin Tomlinson, minister of energy security and net zero, said: “By deciding not to carry forward our over-performance from the third carbon budget, we are doubling down on our commitment to reach net zero, and we’re already halfway there.

“This will keep the UK at the forefront of global efforts to cut its emissions, but we will do this while also driving down consumer bills.”

Professor Piers Forster, interim chair of the CCC, said the government has made a “sensible decision…not to kick the can down the road”.

“It’s the right choice. It shows an understanding of both the climate science and the very real need to accelerate progress on emissions reduction.”

Jess Ralston, head of energy at the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit, said: “The carbon budgets have been an excellent way of combatting politicians’ notorious short-termism, providing long-term certainty to businesses while keeping the UK on the path to cutting emissions to zero. The UK has a proud record, but recent U-turns have rattled investors.

“Accepting the advice of the CCC is another example of the Climate Change Act working.”