The UK will miss its legal climate change reduction target unless it invests in greater green technology, say a group of MPs.
A report published by The Science and Technology Committee suggests that the Government has failed to make low-carbon technologies the most attractive option to consumers and business.
The target of achieving ‘zero’ greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 was passed into law earlier this year. It requires all carbon emissions to be offset by equally effective carbon reduction schemes.
But MPs have said that the UK is still not on track to meet its targets for 2023 to 2032 before meeting 2050 goals.
Ten areas have been identified in which the committee says government policy has delayed or undermined the goal of carbon reduction.
Included in the list is cuts to grants for low emissions cars, and the restriction and removal of policies to improve the energy efficiency of homes.
To meet its ambition of nearly all vehicles being low carbon by 2050 requires 20,000 new registrations a week on average. In comparison, 1,200 ultra-low emissions vehicles were registered each week in 2018.
The report also urges the Government to commit to large-scale trials of low carbon heating tech such as heat pumps, and replacing gas with hydrogen.
Chairman of the committee, Norman Lamb MP, said the government was not putting in place the policies that were needed to meet its climate targets.
“We need to see the Government put its words into actions,” he said.
“We heard of cutbacks in various programmes and slow progress, which are incompatible with the UK’s two upcoming, legally binding, carbon budgets – this is unacceptable.
“If governments across the world fail to act, it will have dire consequences for the environment and generations to come.”