The UK independent advisory Climate Change Committee (CCC) has recommended that the UK commits to cut its territorial greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 81pc by 2035, from a 1990 baseline.
UK energy minister Ed Miliband in August sought the CCC's guidance on the country's next climate plan, or nationally determined contribution (NDC). Parties to the Paris climate agreement must submit NDCs, increasing in ambition over time, in five-year cycles.
The recommended 81pc GHG reduction is a "credible contribution towards limiting warming to 1.5°C", the CCC said. The Paris agreement seeks to limit warming to "well below" 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and preferably to 1.5°C.
The CCC's recommendation is "ambitious, deliverable, and consistent with the emissions reduction required to meet the UK's legally binding sixth carbon budget", the committee added. It also provides a "stepping stone" to the UK's legally-binding net zero by 2050 goal, the CCC noted.
"There's decades-long recognition that the transition to green energy and away from fossil fuels will be advantageous to the UK, both in terms of climate and economy", member of parliament and chair of the energy security and net zero committee Bill Esterson said.
The committee recommends that international aviation and shipping emissions are excluded from the "headline NDC target" — which is in line with UN climate body the UNFCCC. But the UK must work to reduce those emissions and push for progress on the topic at international fora, the CCC said.
The UK should use its position as "a global financial hub and finance leader" to make a case for reform of the global financial system, and to "drive the delivery of both public and private finance towards accelerating the transition", the committee found. It referenced the UK's "high historical responsibility for GHG emissions", but also pointed to the international climate leadership role that the current government has said it would take.
The 81pc reduction target is "achievable through actions that directly reduce" GHG emissions, so international carbon credits should not be used, the CCC said. It also called for a strengthened adaptation plan, which refers to adjustments made to protect against the effects of climate change where possible.
The CCC assesses progress made by the government towards its climate goals. It marked the previous administration down, finding it off track for 2030 targets and beyond.
The committee welcomed the actions taken by the new government in areas such as renewable power and energy efficiency, but called for "urgent action" to speed up the rollout of electric vehicles and heat pumps, among others.
