The UK is aiming for net zero carbon emissions by the middle of the century. In February 2025, the country is going to set its 7th carbon budget, addressing emissions up to 2042. The independent Climate Change Committee is expected to publish it soon.
Carbon budgets set a legally binding cap on the amount of carbon the UK can spend in a set time frame. It is similar to a personal budget for shopping. So far, the country has released 6 carbon budgets. These budgets are being gradually reduced to reach net zero by 2050.
Plans for the energy sector, housing, transport, industry and farming shall be called into question soon in the upcoming set of recommendations. Ministers shall get hundreds of pages of recommendations to reduce carbon emissions for a safer planet.
The CCC cannot prescribe policy. But it can make recommendations and set out limits. For example, if airports are expanded, deeper cuts are required in a different section of the economy. For that reason, the budget is likely to make uncomfortable reading for senior ministers.
