Don’t forget we still need a net zero emissions target in UK law

ClientEarth calls on the UK government to fulfill its commitment to legislate a net zero emissions target. While the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) suggests that now is not the right time for such a target, ClientEarth argues that a legal target is necessary to signal international support for climate action, provide confidence to investors, and encourage the development of zero-carbon options and removal technologies. The document asserts that establishing a long-term goal does not undermine the immediate priority of meeting existing carbon budgets under the Climate Change Act, nor does it require a detailed 'bottom-up' plan for the distant future.

• The UK government previously committed to incorporating the Paris Agreement's net zero emissions goal into national law, with the then Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom stating that the primary question was "how we do it" rather than if it should be done.
• A domestic net zero target would serve as an international signal of support for ambitious climate action and a domestic signal for the necessity of complete decarbonisation after 2050.
• Legislating a net zero target would provide investors with confidence in the government's long-term direction and support the development of supply chains, removal technologies, and zero-carbon options.
• ClientEarth disagrees with the Committee on Climate Change's (CCC) view that a net zero target should not be set now, arguing that such a target would not interfere with the urgent need to publish a plan to meet legislated UK carbon budgets by February.
• The absence of current 'bottom-up' scenarios for achieving net zero is not a valid reason to delay legislation, as the Climate Change Act does not require immediate detailed planning for targets 30 to 50 years in the future.

APA

ClientEarth (2016). Don’t forget we still need a net zero emissions target in UK law. https://www.clientearth.org/latest/news/don-t-forget-we-still-need-a-net-zero-emissions-target-in-uk-law/

Chicago

ClientEarth. Don’t forget we still need a net zero emissions target in UK law. 2016. https://www.clientearth.org/latest/news/don-t-forget-we-still-need-a-net-zero-emissions-target-in-uk-law/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=ClientEarth |title=Don’t forget we still need a net zero emissions target in UK law |date=4 November 2016 |url=https://www.clientearth.org/latest/news/don-t-forget-we-still-need-a-net-zero-emissions-target-in-uk-law/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{clientearth2016dont, author = {{ClientEarth}}, title = {{Don’t forget we still need a net zero emissions target in UK law}}, publisher = {ClientEarth}, year = {2016}, month = nov, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/latest/news/don-t-forget-we-still-need-a-net-zero-emissions-target-in-uk-law/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }