Here are the climate-related sections of speeches by MPs during the Commons debate Setting the Seventh Carbon Budget.
Ed Miliband (Labour)
Today, I am laying before the House the draft carbon budget 7 order, which sets the seventh carbon budget, for the period from 2038 to 2042, at 535 MtCO2e (equivalent to a ~87% emissions reduction from 1990 levels). This budget represents the next interim target for the UK on the way to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The Government have agreed with the independent advice of the Climate Change Committee to set the budget at the level it has advised. This level has been chosen because it:
Aligns with the Paris agreement’s 1.5°C goal to avoid climate disaster for future generations.
This level provides a clear basis and early signal for the pathway and pace of action required to remain on track for net zero by 2050.
The impact assessment also shows that even under higher technology-cost assumptions, meeting net zero continues to represent value for money, with strong net benefits relative to alternative pathways. It concludes that the CCC’s recommendation for the seventh carbon budget is the preferred option, as the most credible and balanced option with the strongest overall case.
Energy security and lower bills : clean power and electrification will significantly reduce our exposure to volatile international fossil fuel markets across the economy: by 2050, our economy’s overall dependency on fossil fuels will reduce from ~75% of our total primary energy today to ~15%. Electrification will also help consumers benefit from technologies that can cut their bills. Even before the Iran war, it was often cheaper to run a zero-emission vehicle than a petrol or diesel car, and with the right tariff, running a heat pump can be cheaper than a gas boiler.
Improved quality of life and health : from warmer homes to cleaner air, decarbonising the UK’s economy will reduce air pollution and ease long-term pressures on the NHS. Improving air quality alone could deliver £80 billon of health-related benefits between now and 2050, avoiding between 39,000 and 119,000 life years lost. This would result from improved air quality in 2050, against a no-net-zero baseline.
Tackling the climate crisis : the UK has already helped drive global efforts to tackle climate change, including by passing the world’s first Climate Change Act, which has been emulated by nearly 60 countries, and by being the first major economy to legislate for net zero by 2050. It has helped drive a global shift towards net zero targets, which now cover 80% of global GDP. The UK’s climate framework has provided a model that others have followed, and domestic ambition strengthens our credibility and influence as we work with other countries to drive global action.
The Government are committed to meeting our carbon budgets, in line with the Climate Change Act 2008. Existing carbon budget 6 delivery policies will drive substantial abatement into the carbon budget 7 period. The carbon budget growth and delivery plan, published just last October, sets out a cross-Government policy package to enable carbon budgets 4, 5 and 6 to be met up to 2037. These policies will continue to deliver the bulk of emissions savings needed for carbon budget 7. This provides a strong and credible starting point for carbon budget 7, reducing delivery risk and giving confidence that the transition can be delivered in an affordable and manageable way.
I welcome parliamentary scrutiny of the proposed level as an integral part of the democratic process for setting carbon budgets in accordance with the requirements of the Climate Change Act.
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