UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has committed the UK to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 81% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels, a pledge made at the COP29 summit in Azerbaijan. This ambitious target aligns with the recommendations of the Climate Change Committee and is seen as a significant step towards the UK's decarbonisation goals.
The announcement has garnered widespread support from renewable energy and clean-tech organizations. Dan McGrail, Chief Executive of RenewableUK, praised the target, stating that it positions the UK as a global leader in the transition to clean power, enhancing energy security and offering long-term benefits to billpayers. McGrail emphasized that the ambitious goal is credible and achievable, pointing to the robust pipeline of energy infrastructure projects poised to be developed by 2035.
Trevor Hutchings, Chief Executive of the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology, echoed this sentiment, highlighting that the UK's commitment signals its leadership in the global race for green energy, investment, and job creation. Hutchings also stressed that the target places pressure on other nations to set similarly ambitious emissions reduction goals.
However, environmental advocacy groups like Friends of the Earth voiced concerns about the sufficiency of the pledge. Rosie Downes, head of campaigns at Friends of the Earth, welcomed the target as a step in the right direction but urged that it be viewed as a minimum, not the maximum, level of ambition. Downes called for deeper and faster cuts to address the climate crisis, warning that the UK's current trajectory is not on track to meet its existing 2030 goals.
Downes also emphasized that credible action must be backed by a clear and comprehensive climate action plan, which includes policies that foster clean energy, green jobs, affordable energy, and improved public transport. The call for such a plan reflects growing pressure on the government to align ambitious targets with concrete steps to meet them.
As the UK looks to play a leading role in the global energy transition, the success of this pledge will depend on the development of clear, actionable plans and the continued involvement of the private sector in the push for cleaner, more sustainable energy solutions.
