Pressure mounts on Britain to update its UN climate target

(EurActiv, 2 Dec 2020) Scotland and British businesses are piling pressure on the UK government to set an ambitious 2030 climate target ahead of a summit co-hosted by Britain and the UN on the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement.

The summit, scheduled for Saturday next week (12 December), will look at building momentum towards the COP26 climate summit taking place in Glasgow next year.

It takes place just one day after an EU summit where European leaders are expected to agree on the bloc’s 2030 climate goal, an objective which has until now been held up by Poland.

The UK’s emission target is already higher than the EU’s proposed goal, at 57% compared with 1990 levels. The European Commission, for its part, proposed a 55% benchmark for the EU while the Parliament supports a 60% target.

Climate experts, meanwhile, say the UK’s climate goals are achievable, but not in line with the country’s aim to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

Scotland has already increased its target, announcing a world-leading objective on Saturday to reduce emissions by 75% by 2030 with an aim to reach net-zero by 2045.

And even though it is part of the UK, the Scottish government intends to publish an indicative nationally determined contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement.

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EurActiv, 2 Dec 2020: Pressure mounts on Britain to update its UN climate target

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