Thank you for contacting me about the Carbon Budget Delivery Plan.
I recognise your concerns about protecting our natural environment and addressing climate change. It is vital that we do so in a way that is practical, affordable, and in line with the UK's national interests.
As of 2023, the UK had already cut carbon emissions by 48 per cent since 1990, more than any other G7 country. It is worth noting the UK only accounts for 1 per cent of global emissions which continue to rise in other countries, the destruction of global forests for instance accounting for ten times more carbon emissions than the UK as a whole.
I believe the Carbon Budget Delivery Plan published by the previous Government set out a pragmatic approach to net zero, one that would have delivered on the UK's legal binding targets while protecting families and businesses from rising costs. Funding new nuclear power and green research and development offers the best way of addressing climate change, in a way that maintains public support and does not hit the poorest the hardest. That is what this plan would have achieved, and I remain disappointed it could not be implemented.
I understand that the Government's own climate action plan is due to be published before 29 October 2025. It is vital this sets out a serious plan that balances affordability, security, and sustainability, being honest that renewables are intermittent and recognising that reliable power from nuclear and gas must be part of the UK's energy mix. I shall await the publication of the new climate action plan, and I look forward to scrutinising the Government's proposals once further details are made available.
