Climate Change Committee

Climate Change Committee

Formation| December 2008; 17 years ago (2008-12)
Type| Non-departmental public body
Purpose| Advisory body on climate change
Origins| Climate Change Act (2008)

Region served

| United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Chair

| Nigel Topping [1]

Chief Executive

| Emma Pinchbeck[2]
Website| https://www.theccc.org.uk/

The Climate Change Committee (CCC), originally named the Committee on Climate Change, is an independent non-departmental public body, formed under the Climate Change Act (2008) to advise the United Kingdom and devolved Governments and Parliaments on tackling and preparing for climate change. The Committee provides advice on setting carbon budgets (for the UK Government carbon budgets are designed to place a limit or ceiling on the level of economy-wide emissions that can be emitted in a five-year period), and reports regularly to the Parliaments and Assemblies on the progress made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.[3] Notably, in 2019 the CCC recommended the adoption of a target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by the United Kingdom by 2050.[4] On 27 June 2019 the British Parliament amended the Climate Change Act (2008) to include a commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.[5] The CCC also advises and comments on the UK's progress on climate change adaptation through updates to Parliament.[6]

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Members of the Committee
* 2.1 Members
* 2.2 Former members
* 3 Criticism
* 4 Reports and key recommendations
* 5 See also
* 6 References
* 7 External links and further reading

## History

The Committee on Climate Change was formally launched as a statutory committee in December 2008 with Lord Turner as its chair.

An Adaptation Sub-Committee was set up in 2009 to provide advice to Government about adaptation, meaning the steps the government and devolved administrations of the United Kingdom should be taking to prepare for climate change impacts.

On 1 December 2008 the committee published its first major report entitled "Building a low-carbon economy – the UK's contribution to tackling climate change".[7] This recommended that the UK adopt a long-term target to reduce emissions of all greenhouse gases by at least 80% by 2050, in order to tackle climate change. It recommended the level of three five-yearly carbon budgets to cover the periods 2008–2012, 2013-2017 and 2018–2022.

In line with the recommendations in the committee's report, in April 2009 the Government set a requirement for a 34% cut in carbon emissions by 2020.[8]

In December 2010 the Committee recommended a 4th Carbon Budget to cover the period from 2023 to 2027. They recommended that the Government aims to cut emissions by at least 60% by 2030 to ensure that the UK is on track to meet the 2050 target, with Parliament to debate the contents and proposals of this report before the summer's recess. A recommendation on the 5th Carbon Budget was published in November 2015 and adopted by the UK Government on 30 June 2016.

In addition to reports to advise on the level of carbon budgets, the CCC also provides annual progress reports to Parliament which provide an update on Government's progress towards meeting climate targets. The CCC has published Progress Reports for 2009, 2010, and every year since. The first biennial joint progress report from the Committee on Climate Change and the Adaptation Sub-Committee was presented to the UK Parliament on 30 June 2015. The joint progress reports include an assessment of the UK Government's National Adaptation Programme by the Adaptation Sub-Committee.

The Adaptation Sub-Committee published in July 2016 the Evidence Report to inform the UK Government's second UK Climate Change Risk Assessment due to be presented to Parliament in January 2017.

On 15 October 2018, Energy and Climate Change Minister Claire Perry formally wrote to the CCC requesting advice on a date for achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions across the economy.[9] This came seven days after the publication of a special report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on the impact of global warming of 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. The CCC published its advice on 2 May 2019.

In December 2020, the CCC published its advice for the sixth Carbon Budget (2033 to 2037). The sixth carbon budget is the first to be advised on since Parliament legislated for a target of Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050 in 2019. The recommended pathway is consistent with the Net Zero target and requires a 78% reduction in UK territorial emissions between 1990 and 2035. In effect, this brings forward the UK's previous 80% target by nearly 15 years.[10] The Government formally accepted the recommendation from the CCC (965Mt of Carbon dioxide equivalent in the budgetary period 2033 to 2037) in April 2021,[11] and Parliament passed the relevant statutory instrument in June 2021.[12]

Separately in December 2020, following a request for advice from the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Alok Sharma, the CCC recommended that the government adopt a commitment to reduce UK territorial carbon emissions by at least 68% from 1990 to 2030, as part of the UK's nationally determined contribution (NDC) to the UN process as specified in the Paris Agreement.[13] Under the Paris agreement signatory countries have discretion to set their own NDCs, and some environmental activist groups had previously called for a UK NDC of a 75% reduction, whilst Professor Lord (Nicholas) Stern (speaking in an academic capacity as chair of the Grantham Institute at the London School of Economics) had suggested 70%.[14] The Prime Minister Boris Johnson made the 69% commitment the same day as the CCC published its recommendation (3 December) and stated "We have proven we can reduce our emissions and create hundreds of thousands of jobs in the process. We are taking the lead with an ambitious new target to reduce our emissions by 2030, faster than any major economy ... The UK is urging world leaders to bring forward their own ambitious plans to cut emissions and set net zero [carbon] targets."[15]

In December 2020, the committee was formally renamed as the Climate Change Committee.[16]

## Members of the Committee

### Members

As of 2023[update], the interim chairman is Piers Forster, who succeeded John Gummer, Lord Deben.[17] Other committee members are Baroness Brown, Professor Nick Chater, Dr Rebecca Heaton, Professor Piers Forster, Paul Johnson, Professor Corinne Le Quéré and Professor James Skea.

Baroness Brown is the Chair of the Adaptation Sub-Committee. The other Sub-Committee members are Professor Richard Dawson, Professor Dame Georgina Mace, Ece Ozdemiroglu, Rosalyn Schofield and Professor Michael Davies.

Chris Stark served as chief executive of the Climate Change Committee between April 2018 and April 2024, when he was appointed chief executive of British climate change consultancy Carbon Trust.[18] The committee's current interim chief executive is James Richardson, its chief economist, who was set to serve until a permanent replacement was named in the role.

### Former members

The first chairman of the committee was Lord Turner (2008–12). Other previous Committee members include Professor Michael Grubb (2008–2011), Lord Krebs (2009–2017), Lord May (2008–2016), and Professor Sam Fankhauser (2008–2016). David Kennedy was Chief Executive of the committee from 2008 until May 2014.

Former members of the Adaptation Sub-Committee include Professor Martin Parry (2009–2017), Professor Sam Fankhauser (2009–2017), Sir Graham Wynne (2009–2018), Dame Anne Johnson (2009–2018), Professor Jim Hall (2009–2019) and Ece Ozdemiroglu (2016-2022).

## Criticism

The committee was criticised in 2020 by George Monbiot for what he called its target culture, and for emphasizing planting trees commercially for bioenergy with carbon capture and storage instead of letting them regrow naturally as part of rewilding.[19]

## Reports and key recommendations

| Parts of this organization (those related to section) need to be updated. Please update this organization to reflect recent events or newly available information. (March 2024)

|

Carbon budget reports

* "Building a low-carbon economy – the UK's contribution to tackling climate change – 1st December 2008"

Key recommendations:

1. The United Kingdom should reduce emissions of all Greenhouse gases by 80% by 2050
2. The first three carbon budgets (2008–2012, 2013-2017 and 2018–2022) should lead to emission reductions of 34% by 2020
3. The budgets should cover all sectors of the economy and can be achieved at a cost of 1-2% of GDP in 2050

* The Fourth Carbon Budget – Reducing emissions through the 2020s – 7 December 2010

Key recommendations:

1. Review of the latest climate science reveals that the case for action is robust
2. The fourth carbon budget should limit emissions to 1,950 MTCO2e for period 2023–2027, leading to a 60% emissions cut by 2030
3. Electricity Market Reform is urgently required, alongside appropriate policies in buildings, agriculture, transport and industry sectors

* The Fifth Carbon Budget – June 2013

The fifth statutory report to Parliament on progress towards meeting carbon budgets was published in June 2013. Implementing of loft and cavity wall insulation, boiler replacement, new car efficiency, investment in renewable power generation, and waste emissions reduction was stated to be in good progress.

* The Sixth Carbon Budget The UK's path to Net Zero – December 2020

This publication includes a report detailing the road to 'Net Zero finance' and a report by Cambridge Econometrics on the potential macroeconomic effect of the Sixth Carbon Budget and Net Zero. The macroeconomic analysis is based on a Post-Keynesian model, and suggests that UK gross domestic product will be 2-3% higher in 2050 under the pathway relative to a baseline of the continuation of existing policies.[20]

* As of January 2023[update] the committee had completed advice on the Sixth Carbon Budget and had commenced work on the Seventh Carbon Budget.[21]

Progress reports

* "Meeting Carbon Budgets – the need for a step change" – 12 October 2009"

Key recommendations:

1. A step change is required in the rate of emission reductions, moving from annual cuts of 0.5% to 2-3% each year
2. Rapid decarbonisation of the power sector is a priority, alongside energy efficiency improvements and reductions in road transport emissions
3. Achieving the carbon budgets is possible at low cost

* "Meeting carbon budgets – ensuring a low-carbon recovery – 30 June 2010"

Key recommendations:

1. A step change is still required
2. GHG have reduced in 2009 but this is largely due to the recession and is not as the result of underlying progress
3. New policies are required in 4 areas: electricity market reform, energy efficiency, electric cars and agriculture

Other advisory reports

* "UK Aviation Report – 8 December 2009"

Key recommendations:

1. Any future airport expansion should stay within a limit of increasing passenger demand by 60% by 2050
2. There is scope to reduce emissions through improving fuel efficiency and aircraft design and through operational improvements
3. Aviation emissions must be included within a UK strategy to tackle climate change

* "Scotland's path to a low-carbon economy – 24 February 2010"

Key recommendations:

1. Scotland's interim target to reduce emissions by 42% by 2020 is ambitious, but achievable
2. Flexibility should be added to system of using annual targets to reduce risk
3. The Scottish Government should set out a strategy to deliver budgets through strengthening key policies

* "Building a low-carbon economy – the UK's innovation challenge – 19 July 2010"

Key recommendations:

1. Funding for a suite of low-carbon technologies required to meet 2050 target should be protected
2. Any reduction in current funding levels (£550m per year) would increase the risk of missing carbon budgets
3. The United Kingdom should focus on developing and deploying offshore wind, marine (wave and tidal), Carbon capture and storage, smart grids and meters, electric vehicles and aviation.

* "How well prepared is the UK for climate change? – 16 September 2010"

Key recommendations:

1. The impacts of climate change are already being felt in the UK
2. The United Kingdom should act now to start to prepare itself for a warmer climate
3. Five key priority areas for action are: buildings, land-use planning, emergency planning, infrastructure and natural resources

* "The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme – advice to Government on the second phase – 24 September 2010"

Key recommendations:

1. The scheme should be redesigned to reduce its complexity before the start of the 2nd phase
2. Separate league tables should be established for the private and public sectors
3. The sale of an unlimited number of allowances at a fixed price should be used, rather than a complex auctioning system

## See also

* Energy policy of the United Kingdom
* Energy in the United Kingdom
* Department of Energy and Climate Change

## References

1. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nigel-topping-cmg-appointed-chair-of-the-climate-change-committee
2. ↑ "Emma Pinchbeck announced as the new Chief Executive of the Climate Change Committee". 9 October 2024. https://www.theccc.org.uk/2024/10/09/emma-pinchbeck-announced-as-the-new-chief-executive-of-the-climate-change-committee/.
3. ↑ "Committee on Climate Change – Independent, evidence-based advice to the UK Government and Parliament". http://www.theccc.org.uk/.
4. ↑ "'This report will change your life': what zero emissions means for UK". The Guardian. 2 May 2019. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/may/02/this-report-will-change-your-life-what-zero-emissions-means-for-uk.
5. ↑ "UK becomes first major economy to pass net zero emissions law". gov.uk. 27 June 2019. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-becomes-first-major-economy-to-pass-net-zero-emissions-law.
6. ↑ "How the UK is preparing". https://www.theccc.org.uk/preparing-for-climate-change/how-the-uk-is-preparing/.
7. ↑ "Building a low-carbon economy – the UK's contribution to tackling climate change". Committee on Climate Change. 2008-12-01. https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/building-a-low-carbon-economy-the-uks-contribution-to-tackling-climate-change-2/.
8. ↑ Jowit, Juliette (22 April 2009). "Budget 2009: Darling promises 34% emissions cuts with world's first binding carbon budgets". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/apr/22/carbon-emissions-budget-20091.
9. ↑ "UK climate targets: request for advice from the Committee on Climate Change". https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-climate-targets-request-for-advice-from-the-committee-on-climate-change.
10. ↑ "Sixth Carbon Budget". https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/sixth-carbon-budget/.
11. ↑ "UK enshrines new target in law to slash emissions by 78% by 2035". https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-enshrines-new-target-in-law-to-slash-emissions-by-78-by-2035.
12. ↑ The Carbon Budget Order 2021, The National Archives, 23 June 2021, SI 2021/750, http://legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2021/750/made
13. ↑ "Letter: Advice on the UK's 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC)". https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/letter-advice-on-the-uks-2030-nationally-determined-contribution-ndc/.
14. ↑ Harvey, Fiona (2020-11-20). "Pressure grows on Boris Johnson over UK carbon emissions plan". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/20/pressure-grows-on-boris-johnson-over-uk-carbon-emissions-plan.
15. ↑ "UK vows to outdo other economies with 68% emissions cuts by 2030". 2020-12-04. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/03/uk-vows-outdo-other-major-economies-emissions-cuts-by-2030.
16. ↑ "TEMPLO". http://templo.co.uk/work/climate-change-committee-naming-rebrand.
17. ↑ Dooks, Tom (2023-06-22). "Ministers appoint interim Chair to the CCC". https://www.theccc.org.uk/2023/06/22/ministers-appoint-interim-chair-to-the-ccc/.
18. ↑ "Chris Stark to step down as Chief Executive of the CCC – Climate Change Committee". 11 January 2024. https://www.theccc.org.uk/2024/01/11/chris-stark-to-step-down-as-chief-executive-of-the-ccc/.
19. ↑ Monbiot, George (2020-01-29). "Let's abandon climate targets, and do something completely different | George Monbiot". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jan/29/climate-targets-committee-on-climate-change-report.
20. ↑ "Economic impact of the Sixth Carbon Budget (Cambridge Econometrics)". https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/economic-impact-of-the-sixth-carbon-budget-cambridge-econometrics/.
21. ↑ Stark, Chris (10 January 2023). "2023 – gearing up for the next cycle". https://www.theccc.org.uk/2023/01/10/2023-gearing-up-for-the-next-cycle/.

## External links and further reading

* Committee on Climate Change website
* Read the CCC's reports
* Latest news about the Committee
* CCC Blog
* Find out more about the CCC
* Contact information[Usurped!]
* "COLUMN-UK climate act limits energy choices: Gerard Wynn"

* v
* t
* e

Energy in the United Kingdom

Companies

| Coal|

* Anglo American
* Asia Energy
* BHP
* ENRC
* Glencore
* Rio Tinto
* UK Coal

|

Oil and gas|

| Integrated|

* BP
* Royal Dutch Shell

|

Exploration and
production|

* Afren
* BHP
* Cairn Energy
* Centrica
* Dana Petroleum
* Desire Petroleum
* Emerald Energy
* EnQuest
* Essar Energy
* Hardy Oil and Gas
* JKX Oil & Gas
* Melrose Resources
* Ophir Energy
* Perenco
* Premier Oil
* Regal Petroleum
* Rockhopper Exploration
* SOCO International
* Star Energy
* Tullow Oil

Supply|

* Greenergy
* Murco Petroleum

Support|

* Abbot Group
* Amec Foster Wheeler
* Expro
* Hunting
* Petrofac
* Qserv
* Score Group
* Valaris plc
* Weir Group
* WesternGeco1
* Wood Group

Utilities|

| Integrated|

* Centrica
* EDF Energy1
* E.ON UK1
* RWE npower1
* Scottish Power1
* SSE

|

Generation and
supply|

| Generation|

* Drax Group
* Engie Energy International
* Falck Renewables
* Horizon Nuclear Power1
* Robin Hood Energy
* Vattenfall United Kingdom1
* Vedanta Resources

|

Supply|

* Bristol Energy
* Bulb Energy
* Co-op Energy
* Ecotricity
* ESB International
* Extra Energy
* Firmus Energy
* Good Energy
* Green Energy
* Octopus Energy
* Opus Energy
* Ovo Energy
* Phoenix Natural Gas
* Shell Energy
* Solarplicity
* Telecom Plus

Distribution|

| Electricity|

* Electricity North West1
* Northern Powergrid1
* SP Energy Networks1
* SSE Power Distribution
* UK Power Networks1
* Western Power Distribution1

|

Gas|

* Cadent Gas
* Firmus Energy
* Northern Gas Networks
* Phoenix Natural Gas
* SGN
* Wales & West Utilities1

Transmission|

| Electricity|

* National Grid2
* Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission
* SP Energy Networks1

|

Gas|

* National Grid

Other|

* Aggreko
* APX Group
* Aquamarine Power
* EnServe
* Geothermal Engineering
* Hi-Gen Power
* Mark Group
* Wavegen

Companies with headquarters and/or registered office in the UK but no applicable energy operations within the country shown in italics 1Ultimate parent company is not UK-based 2Integrated in the United States, no generation or supply activities in the UK

Energy sources

| Coal|

* Coal Authority
* Coal-fired power stations
* Coal mines
* Coal mining regions
* Confederation of UK Coal Producers
* Greenhouse gas emissions
* History
* miners' strike
* National Coal Board
* Open-pit coal mining

|

Electricity|

* Association of Electricity Producers
* BritNed
* East–West Interconnector
* Energy switching services
* Economy 7
* Economy 10
* Electricity billing
* Green electricity
* Grid Trade Master Agreement
* HVDC Cross-Channel
* HVDC Moyle
* HVDC Norway–UK
* Isle of Man to England Interconnector
* National Grid
* Control
* Reserve Service
* New Electricity Trading Arrangements
* Power stations
* Timeline of the electricity supply industry

Nuclear|

* Advanced gas-cooled reactor
* Franco–British Nuclear Forum
* Magnox
* National Nuclear Laboratory
* Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
* Nuclear Liabilities Fund
* Nuclear power stations
* Office for Nuclear Regulation
* Sellafield
* United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

Oil and gas|

* BBL Pipeline
* Dash for Gas
* Forties pipeline system
* Fuel protests
* Gas infrastructure
* Greenhouse gas emissions
* Hydrocarbon Oil Duty
* Oil and Gas Authority
* National Transmission System
* Natural gas fields
* Natural gas-fired power stations
* North Sea oil
* Oil & Gas UK
* Oil fields
* Oil-fired power stations
* Oil infrastructure
* Oil refineries
* Petroleum revenue tax

Renewables|

| Biofuels|

* Biodiesel
* Biofuel power stations
* National Non-Food Crops Centre
* Renewable Fuels Agency
* Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation

|

Geothermal|

* Geothermal power stations

Hydroelectricity|

* Hydroelectric power stations
* Severn Barrage
* Wave farms

Solar power|

Wind power|

* List of offshore wind farms
* List of onshore wind farms
* North Sea Offshore Grid
* Wind power in Scotland

Government and regulation

| Organisations|

* Carbon Trust
* Cenex
* Committee on Climate Change
* Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
* Department of Energy and Climate Change
* Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
* Energy Saving Trust
* Environment Agency
* Office of Gas and Electricity Markets

|

Legislation and
initiatives|

* Carbon Emission Reduction Target
* Climate Change Act 2008
* Climate Change Agreement
* Climate Change Levy
* Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act 2006
* CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme
* Display Energy Certificate
* Energy Act 2013
* Energy Performance Certificate
* Fossil Fuel Levy
* Low Carbon Building Programme
* National Industrial Symbiosis Programme
* Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation
* Planning Act 2008
* Renewable Heat Incentive
* Renewables Obligation
* United Kingdom Climate Change Programme

Non-governmental organisations

| Charities and
pressure groups|

* Ashden Award
* BioRegional
* Campaign against Climate Change
* Centre for Alternative Technology
* National Energy Action
* Stop Climate Chaos
* Tyndall Centre

|

Industry bodies|

* Combined Heat and Power Association
* Energy Institute
* Energy Networks Association
* Energy Retail Association
* Green Power Forum
* RenewableUK
* Utilities Intermediaries Association

Research|

* Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology
* Energy Technologies Institute
* Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research
* Narec
* Oil Depletion Analysis Centre
* Sunbury Research Centre
* UK Energy Research Centre

Energy conservation

* Association for the Conservation of Energy
* British Energy Efficiency Federation
* Close the Door campaign
* Code for Sustainable Homes
* Double Glazing & Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme
* EcoHomes
* Energy efficiency in British housing
* Energy Saving Trust
* Energy Saving Trust Recommended
* Greenhouse gas emissions
* HTB
* National Home Energy Rating

* Category

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