Zero carbon emissions

Thank you for contacting me about the Government's recent promise to enshrine the Paris goal of net zero emissions in UK law.

I was delighted to hear the Minister make this commitment. The Paris Agreement was a momentous step forward, and I am happy to see that the Government will build on its progress already made on tackling climate change. The UK already has an existing target of an 80 per cent reduction in emissions by 2050, so to see it commit to zero emissions is very welcome.

The question is not now whether to reduce emissions but how best it can be done. There are many important questions to be answered before a definitive date is set, and I know that the Government will be considering the recommendations made by the Committee on Climate Change in their forthcoming report.

The UK has already made excellent progress and is setting an example to the rest of the world. Britain will be one of the first developed countries to take coal out of the energy mix completely, with last year's announcement that all coal-fired power stations will close by 2025. Renewable capacity has trebled since 2010, and the Government has sent clear signals to investors and businesses about the shift to a low-carbon economy.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.