The UK government has appointed Nigel Topping as the new chair of the Climate Change Committee (CCC), following a competitive recruitment process involving ministers from all four nations of the UK.
The decision was confirmed in a letter from Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband, who thanked Professor Piers Forster for his service as interim chair since the departure of Lord Deben in 2023.
Topping previously served as the United Nations High Level Climate Action Champion for COP26. He will now lead the CCC in providing independent advice to government on the delivery of its legally binding carbon budgets. The appointment comes at a time when the UK faces mounting pressure to accelerate progress toward its net zero targets.
In a statement, Miliband said, “We highly value the Climate Change Committee’s independent advice on how we can achieve net zero, so I am thrilled to have Nigel in this important role.”
Topping called the appointment “an honour” and stressed the potential benefits of climate action for the UK economy.
“The UK has an opportunity to deliver on its climate commitments in a way that reduces costs for households, powers our industries forward, and makes our economy more successful,” he said.
He also highlighted the importance of climate resilience and praised the CCC’s adaptation work led by Baroness Brown.
“I am committed to upholding the rigour and independent nature of the committee’s advice, while harnessing our country’s wealth of scientific, financial and business talent,” Topping added.
The Climate Change Committee plays a key advisory role in the UK’s climate policy, including monitoring progress on emissions reductions and adaptation strategies.
