Ministers must seize the opportunity to turn the COVID-19 crisis into a defining moment in the fight against climate change, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) stated on 25th June in its annual report to Parliament.
The Committee provides comprehensive new advice to the Government on delivering an economic recovery that accelerates the transition to a cleaner, net-zero emissions economy and strengthens the country’s resilience to the impacts of climate change.
The Committee has assessed a wide set of measures and gathered the latest evidence on the role of climate policies in the economic recovery.
Its report highlights five clear investment priorities in the months ahead:
- Low-carbon retrofits and buildings that are fit for the future
- Tree planting, peatland restoration, and green infrastructure
- Energy networks must be strengthened
- Infrastructure to make it easy for people to walk, cycle, and work remotely
- Moving towards a circular economy.
There are also opportunities to support the transition and the recovery by investing in the UK’s workforce, and in lower-carbon behaviours and innovation:
- Reskilling and retraining programmes.
- Leading a move towards positive behaviours.
- Targeted science and innovation funding.
The full report can be seen here.
