The new Labour government must act swiftly to get Britain back on track to meet its 2030 climate target, with only a third of the necessary emission reductions

currently backed by a credible plan, according to the country’s climate advisers on Thursday.

As part of its efforts to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, Britain has committed to cutting emissions by 68% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. However, progress toward this goal has stalled after the previous Conservative government scaled back several environmental policies, the Climate Change Committee noted in its annual progress report.

"The country’s 2030 emissions reduction target is at risk. The new government has an opportunity to course-correct, but it will need to be done as a matter of urgency," stated Piers Forster, the committee's interim chair.

The report outlined 10 recommendations, including removing certain levies from electricity bills to encourage the electrification of other sectors such as heating and transport, and reinstating the 2030 phase-out of new fossil fuel car and van sales, which had been delayed to 2035 by the former government.

It emphasized that annual offshore wind installations must at least triple, onshore wind installations must double, and solar installations must increase five-fold by 2030. Additionally, the market share of new electric cars needs to rise to nearly 100%, up from the current 16.5%, and 10% of homes must be equipped with heat pumps by 2030, up from just 1% today.

The committee welcomed the government’s recent decision to lift the effective ban on new onshore wind projects but stressed the need for more effort beyond the electricity sector. "We need to see that level of ambition applied to heat pumps, EVs (electric vehicles), and tree planting," said James Richardson, acting chief executive, during a briefing with journalists.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband highlighted that within just one week, the new government had scrapped the nine-year onshore wind ban, approved new solar projects, and established a National Wealth Fund to support green investments and infrastructure. "This action will accelerate us towards meeting our targets, as we drive forward in our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower," he said in an emailed statement.

Britain has halved its emissions since 1990, largely due to phasing out coal in the electricity sector. Photo by Prime Minister’s Office, Wikimedia commons.