Legislation

Climate change legislation

In November 2008, the UK passed the Climate Change Act, making it the first country to introduce a legally binding, long-term framework for tackling climate change.
This means that the UK government is bound, by law, to cut emissions by at least a third by 2020 and by at least 80% by 2050, as well as other commitments related to adapting to climate change and making the transition to a low carbon economy. The Act therefore clearly signals the UK's commitment to take our share of responsibility for reducing global emissions.



The creation of the Act was supported through large-scale call for action from the British public. Through the influential "Big Ask" campaign, organised by NGOs, over 200,000 people contacted their MPs asking them to support a climate change bill. The bill was also welcomed by the UK’s top industry association, the Confederation of British Industry, and by the Trades Union Congress.

Key elements of the Climate Change Act include:

• Legally binding targets. Greenhouse gas emissions will be at least 80% lower by 2050, and at least 34% by 2020, compared with 1990 levels.
• A carbon budgeting system, which ensures we are on course to meet these targets and helps to provide certainty, by capping UK emissions for each five year period, starting in 2008-2012.
• The creation of the Committee on Climate Change, an independent, expert body to advise Government on the level of carbon budgets and where cost effective emissions savings can be made.
• Adaptation requirements: Government must report at least every five years on climate change risks to the UK and plans to address those impacts.

Carbon budgets

"Carbon budget" is a cap on the total quantity of greenhouse gases emitted in the UK during a specified period. Under a system of carbon budgets, every tonne of greenhouse gas emitted between now and 2050 will count: where emissions rise in one sector, corresponding falls will have to be achieved in another.

By setting the trajectory to our 2020 and 2050 targets through carbon budgets, a clear, credible, long-term framework can be provided for the move to a low-carbon UK economy, giving businesses and individuals the direction and certainty they need to play their part.

Each carbon budget covers a five year period. The Government has adopted carbon budgets for the first three five-year periods.

The carbon budgets set for the period 2008-2022 require a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by at least 34 percent by 2020, relative to 1990 levels. The UK will strive to meet these budgets through domestic effort in the sectors not covered by the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), and we have also agreed to restrictive limits on the extent to which we can purchase international offsets.

Visit the Department of Energy and Climate Change for more information on Carbon Budgets.

Departmental carbon budgets

In July 2009, the UK Government published the UK Low Carbon Transition Plan, detailing how the UK will achieve the first three carbon budgets and save around 700 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO₂e) between 2008 - 2022. Each major government department has been given a share of responsibility for the total carbon budget.

These departmental carbon budgets are made up of two elements:

1. An allocation based on each department’s own estate and operations and;
2. An allocation based on the levers and influence departments have in reducing emissions in various sectors of the economy.  
   

Visit the Department of Energy and Climate Change to access individual department’s Carbon Reduction Delivery Plans.

The Committee on Climate Change

Formed as part of the Climate Change Act, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) is the independent body that advises the UK Government on setting and meeting carbon budgets and on preparing for the impacts of climate change.

The CCC is the first institute of its type in the world and recognises the importance of political independence to long term climate change planning. Its priorities are to:

• Provide independent advice to Government on setting and meeting carbon budgets and targets.
• Monitor progress in reducing emissions and achieving carbon budgets. 
• Conduct independent research and analysis into climate change.
• Engage with representatives interested in climate change from across the UK in order to share research and information on climate change and gain input into our analysis.
  

In December 2010, the Climate Change Committee delivered its fourth carbon budget to the UK Government which is its most ambitious yet and makes recommendations of a 60 per cent emissions target for 2030. The budget also recommends significantly more effort be made in the transport, industry, electricity and agricultural sectors. 

Energy legislation

UK energy legislation is also directly relevant to tackling climate change.  See the Department of Energy and Climate Change website for details of the 2008 and 2010 Energy Acts  

A new Energy Bill was published in late 2010. The main part of the bill is the Green Deal, to update the UK’s housing stock and drive home and business energy efficiency. The Bill also includes measures to enable investment in low carbon electricity generation including supporting an offshore electricity transmission regime to ensure that wind farms can connect to the grid, and measures to improve energy. Find out more on Energy Market Reform.

UK legislation and the EU

In addition to domestic legislation such as the Climate Change Act, the UK is also bound by EU legislation. See the Department of Energy and Climate Change website for legislation on the EU Emissions Trading System and other EU energy related legislation. 

The European Commission provides a range of good resources to understand their work around climate change, energy including renewables and efficiency, sustainable development, transport standards and more. See summaries of EU legislation under each policy area; explore the policy area; or explore EU’s climate action work. 

Related links

The Committee on Climate Change, the UK’s independent body established under the Climate Change Act (2008) that advises the UK Government on setting and meeting carbon budgets and on preparing for the impacts of climate change.

The Climate Change Act (2008) full legislation

One year on from the introduction of the Climate Change Act and the creation of the Climate Change Committee, an independent review suggested a “built-in series of duties, actions and reporting will create the transparency, accountability and political pressure necessary to achieve the purpose of the legislation”.  

Countries around Europe are now doing their own Big Ask campaigns for climate legislation.