Words by Bella Zanin (Knowledge Exchange Associate)
The CCC’s latest advice to the Government on how to achieve Net Zero in its Seventh Carbon Budget report shows that a future where the UK meets its climate targets, boosts economic resilience and enhances public health is well within our reach.
The Climate Change Committee (CCC) – a group of independent experts who advise the UK Government on climate policy – has just published its Seventh Carbon Budget Report. This comprehensive document sets out a detailed guide for how the UK can reach Net Zero emissions by 2050. It highlights a clear vision for a society that delivers tangible benefits for businesses, communities and the economy.
What are the key messages?
The CCC’s Seventh Carbon Budget Report is a plan of action for reducing emissions in the years 2038-2042. It says that to stay on track for Net Zero by 2050, the UK needs to cut harmful emissions by 87% (compared to 1990 levels) by 2040.
The CCC proposes 43 priority actions that the Government should take to bring down emissions, but the key is to ‘end the fossil fuel age’. According to the report, 60% of emissions reductions will come from electrification. This means decarbonising the energy grid and switching to electric cars and electric heating (heat pumps).
Reaching Net Zero will involve more sustainable choices being made around travel, diet and consumption, as well as technological changes in areas such as aviation, shipping, industry and waste management.
Nature is also part of the puzzle – we’ll need to increase the uptake of low-carbon agricultural practices, diversify away from livestock farming, plant more trees and restore peatlands.
Achieving this Net Zero future is not a small task, but it is possible. And just imagine what the world could look like if we get it right…
Cleaner, safer and healthier
Implementing the CCC’s recommendations would deliver significant well-being benefits. Britons would live in warmer and less damp homes, thanks to better insulation and more efficient heating. Our physical and mental health would receive a boost, thanks to reduced air pollution, healthier diets and greater access to nature and green spaces.
We would have safer, more convenient travel options, thanks to better public transport and improved routes for walking, cycling and wheeling. Polling shows that these kinds of changes receive strong support from the British public, over and above developments such as airport expansions.
More economically resilient
The CCC explains that shifting to homegrown energy, rather than relying on international fossil fuel imports, would increase our energy security and make our economy more resilient. Energy shocks, such as the spike in gas prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, have been responsible for over half of recessions since the 1970s.
The CCC estimates that its recommended emissions reduction pathway would see household energy bills and household driving bills fall by around £700 by 2050. Equally, businesses would enjoy lower running costs and greater protection from market shifts.
There would also be opportunities for growth in areas such as green finance, engineering and consulting. In fact, contrary to recent claims by politicians, the CCC argues that there is “no need to pitch action on climate change against the economy”.
Supporting people in the Net Zero transition
The CCC makes it clear that we won’t reach Net Zero unless people are involved in climate action and supported to make sustainable choices. At CAST, we know that people need to be at the heart of climate solutions, so it’s great to see this point being made in the CCC’s report.
The report calls for effective public engagement on Net Zero – i.e. two-way dialogue between the Government and British people about climate and nature – something that CAST has been championing for a long time.
Better public engagement would enable the Government to consider the views, concerns and circumstances of different people across the UK when designing climate policies, ensuring they work for everyone. It would also mean that households and businesses receive clear, trusted information about how to do their part to tackle climate change, which we know is something they want to do.
Additionally, the CCC urges the Government to lead by example with low-carbon behaviours and break down the barriers that prevent people from making sustainable choices – for example, by reducing the price of electricity, making it easier to install heat pumps and EV charge points, and providing training to help businesses and farmers shift to more sustainable practices. CAST research supports these recommendations, as we know that strong leadership and structural support are vital in enabling sustainable behaviours.
So is it possible to build this Net Zero future?
Yes – and progress is already underway.
The CCC describes its pathway to Net Zero as “feasible and deliverable”. The report is grounded in expert insights from climate science, technology, policy, finance and social science, including research conducted by CAST. Importantly, a Citizens Panel also provided feedback on whether proposed solutions would be fair, accessible and affordable to the British public.
The UK’s track record proves that ambitious climate goals can be achieved: the Government has successfully met the targets set by its first three carbon budgets, which covered the years 2008-2022. The pace of low-emissions technology roll-out needed in the UK is comparable to successful transitions in places like Ireland and the Netherlands, and to the widespread adoption of technologies like mobile phones, refrigerators and internet connection.
What’s more, the economic case for low-carbon technology is strong. According to the CCC, the world now invests almost twice as much globally in clean energy as it does in fossil fuels, with clean energy investment expected to reach $2 trillion in 2024.
At a time when international climate progress can feel slow, the CCC’s report demonstrates that a healthier, fairer, more prosperous future is possible. One where sustainable choices are easy, affordable and accessible for all.
Read the CCC’s Seventh Carbon Budget Report to learn more about how the Government can ensure the UK reaches Net Zero.
Read CAST’s Key Messages Report for further insights into the role of how social transformations are solving climate change.
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