Carbon Emissions

(asked on 16th March 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to adopt the concept of Net Zero Plus as advocated by the Chief Executive of the Environment Agency.


Answered by
Rebecca Pow Portrait
Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This question was answered on 24th March 2021

The Secretary of State has regular, productive conversations with Sir James Bevan, the Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, about a range of operational and policy issues. This includes net zero. Sir James’ speech on More than Net Zero reflects the government’s commitment to leave the environment in a better state than we found it. Both mitigating and adapting to climate change is essential if we are to meet this goal and government is taking action to deliver on this. This is why mitigating and adapting to climate change is one of the ten goals in the 25 Year Environment Plan. Mitigation and adaptation are also both embedded into other goals, such as air quality and thriving plants and wildlife.

The UK is already leading the fight against climate change by delivering on our world-leading target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Whilst we continue to reduce our contribution to climate change, we are also taking robust action to improve the resilience of our people, economy and environment.

Our second National Adaptation Programme (NAP) (a five-yearly requirement under the UK Climate Change Act 2008) was published in 2018 setting out how we will address climate change risks in the following five years. It follows from the second Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) published in 2017. The NAP includes actions in a broad range of areas, including the natural environment, infrastructure, people and the built environment, business and industry, and local government.

The UK co-convened December’s Climate Ambition Summit to galvanise global action towards a resilient, net zero emissions future. Alongside our updated Nationally Determined Contribution, the UK became one of the first countries in the world to fulfil a key commitment of the Paris Agreement by publishing our first Adaptation Communication. The Adaptation Communication sets out what we are doing to prepare for the effects of climate change at home and support those facing impacts overseas.

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