Is the UK on track to reach its goals in terms of climate change?

By: Andreea Dibo, Health & Environment, The Pawprint

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who had previously stated he would stay in the UK to concentrate on “domestic concerns,” is now in Egypt for the COP27 climate meeting. The UK has committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The UK government has had some progress reducing energy-related emissions. Between 1990 and 2021, they decreased by 73.4%, partly as a result of the closure of coal-fired power plants and increased investment in solar, wind, and nuclear energy.

The UK Energy Security Strategy, which the government released in April 2022, promises to get away from “expensive fossil fuel prices set by global markets we cannot control.”

Commitment to power the UK with green electricity by 2035 and a prohibition on the sale of new gasoline and diesel vehicles by 2030 were two of the major initiatives highlighted. Through the use of sustainable aviation fuel, a commitment was made to establish the UK as a “global leader in zero emissions flight.”