Climate Change Act 2008
The Climate Change Act 2008 is landmark UK legislation making it the first country to set legally binding targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Act makes it the duty of the Secretary of State to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions requiring a 100% reduction in net emissions by 2050 (compared to 1990 levels) through mandatory 5-year carbon budgets and independent advice from the Climate Change Committee (CCC) [1].
Key Features of the Act
Net Zero Target: Originally targeting an 80% reduction by 2050, the Act was strengthened in 2019 to require 100% reduction (Net Zero) by 2050.
Carbon Budgets: Sets legally binding 5-year caps on total greenhouse gas emissions, requiring government action to meet them.
Climate Change Committee (CCC): Established as an independent body to advise the government on targets, budgets, and to report on progress to Parliament.
Adaptation Planning: Requires the government to conduct national climate risk assessments and publish an Adaptation Programme to manage climate change impacts.
Scope: Covers six main greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.
Impact and Implementation
Accountability: The Secretary of State is legally accountable to Parliament for meeting the carbon budgets.
Global Leadership: The Act prompted similar legislation in other countries, including Denmark, France, and Sweden.
Adaptation Reporting: Enables the government to require key utilities and public bodies to report on their climate risks.
Specific Measures: Includes powers to introduce charges for single-use carrier bags and encourage recycling.
The Act provides the legislative framework that guides the UK's overall climate change policy and strategy [1].
How the Climate Change Act Works
Through the Climate Change Act, the UK government has set a target to significantly reduce UK greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and a path to get there. The Act also established the Climate Change Committee (CCC) to ensure that emissions targets are evidence-based and independently assessed. In addition, the Act requires the Government to assess the risks from climate change for the UK, and to adapt to them. The CCC’s Adaptation Committee advises on these climate change risks and assesses progress towards tackling them [1].
The 2050 target
The Climate Change Act commits the UK government by law to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 100% of 1990 levels (Net Zero) by 2050. This includes reducing emissions from the devolved administrations (Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales). The 100% target was based on advice from the CCC’s 2019 report, ‘Net Zero – The UK’s contribution to stopping global warming’ [1].
The Path to 2050: 'carbon budgets'
The Climate Change Act requires the government to set legally-binding ‘carbon budgets’ to act as stepping stones towards the 2050 target. A carbon budget is a cap on the amount of greenhouse gases emitted in the UK over a five-year period. Budgets must be set at least 12 years in advance to allow policy-makers, businesses and individuals enough time to prepare. The CCC advises on the appropriate level of each carbon budget. The budgets are designed to reflect a cost-effective way of achieving the UK’s long-term climate change objectives. Once a carbon budget has been set, the Climate Change Act places an obligation on the Government to prepare policies to ensure the budget is met [1].
Six carbon budgets have been put into law and run up to 2037. The UK is currently in the Fourth Carbon Budget period (2023 to 2027). The mitigation Monitoring Framework sets out the UKs approach to assessing progress against these targets [1].
Summary Table of Carbon Budgets and Assessment[1]
Budget | Carbon Budget Level (MtCO2e) | Reduction below 1990 Levels (%) | Assessement |
|---|---|---|---|
First Carbon Budget (2008 to 2012) | 3,018 | 26 | Yes, this has been met |
Second Carbon Budget (2013 to 2017) | 2,782 | 32 | Yes, this has been met |
Third Carbon Budget (2018 to 2022) | 2,544 | 38 | Yes, this has been met |
Fourth Carbon Budget (2023 to 2027) | 1,950 | 52 | To be assessed in 2029 Progress Report |
Fifth Carbon Budget (2028 to 2032) | 1,725 | 58 | To be assessed in 2034 Progress Report |
Nationally Determined Contribution (2030) | - | 68 | - |
Sixth Carbon Budget (2033 to 2037) | 965 | 78 | To be assessed in 2039 Progress Report |
Nationally Determined Contribution (2035) | - | 81 | - |
Seventh Carbon Budget (2038 to 2042) | To be set in 2025 | - | To be assessed in 2044 Progress Report |
Net Zero target | Set in 2019 | At least 100% by 2050 | - |
The Climate Change Risk Assessment and National Adaptation Programme
The Act sets out two key statutory roles for the Committee on adaptation – to give advice to Government on climate risks for the UK, and to evaluate progress towards delivering the Government’s National Adaptation Programme (England only).
The Climate Change Act requires the UK Government to produce a UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) every five years. The CCRA assesses current and future risks from climate change. In response to the CCRA, the Climate Change Act also requires the UK government to produce a National Adaptation Programme (NAP). The NAP covers England, while the devolved administrations produce their own programmes and policies. The Act also gives powers to the UK Government to require certain organisations to report on how they are adapting to climate change. This is called the Adaptation Reporting Power.
The Committee reports every two years on progress in adapting to climate change in England. The most recent progress report in 2023 sets out the scale of the challenge to ramp up planning and delivery to adapt to climate change impacts.
