UK minister downplays threat of climate court battle

According to environmental lawyers at Client Earth, in a report published on today, the UK’s world-leading Climate Change Act has been “dangerously neglected”, leaving the government open to lawsuits.

Climate minister Nick Hurd disagreed, saying “Any talk of a legal challenge is very premature.” It is the view of Nick Hurd that an emissions reduction plan due out in the first quarter of 2017 would put the country on track to meet its targets.

At issue is the legislation inked in 2008, which binds the UK to a series of “carbon budgets” that will reduce its emissions 80% from 1990 levels by 2050.

The targets are “as credible as any legal target could realistically be,” the Client Earth report states. But it warns that inconsistent policymaking has opened up a sizeable gap between ambition and action.

Jonathan Church, lawyer at the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), said: “A policy and reporting reset is essential if we are to hit emissions targets. We can’t afford to drift for the next five years – as we have done for the last five years – without proper climate policies and progress… With its new Carbon Plan, the government has the chance to make the Act a living law and put the UK on the path to a clean, green energy future.”

Nick Hurd’s opposite number in the Labour Party, Barry Gardiner, endorsed the report.
“This government has talked up its commitment to climate change but has utterly failed to meet its statutory climate obligations,” he said.

“Their incoherent policymaking is sending deeply confusing signals to investors, and risks creating a costly, disruptive transition to the low-carbon economy we need.

“We will not allow government to publicly sign up to long term targets but totally fail to set out the necessary delivery plans that are required by law to achieve them.”