The UK’s sixth carbon budget will incorporate the country’s share of international aviation and shipping emissions for the first time, to bring the UK more than three-quarters of the way to net zero by 2050.
Details of the new targets were announced yesterday and are due to be enacted by parliament in June.
Prime minister Boris Johnson said: “We want to continue to raise the bar on tackling climate change, and that’s why we’re setting the most ambitious target to cut emissions in the world.”
Commenting on the significant news for the national maritime sector, Bob Sanguinetti, UK Chamber of Shipping chief executive, said: “We support the UK government as they look to tackle climate change and look forward to getting more details on how international shipping will be included in the UK carbon budget. We recognise that shipping is international by nature and we continue to fully support the IMO and international regulations to reduce shipping’s emissions.”
This is empty rhetoric and a diversion from other issues besetting HMG. It will need to synchronize with other national and international measures. The consequences of all of these measures in terms of limiting international commerce, national competitiveness rarely get aired. The zealots don’t like any pushback but rarely seem to present evidence based positions.