Government Legislation
For Britain to play it's part in reducing global emissions, it needs to become a low carbon country. The 2008 Climate Change Act made Britain the first country in the world to set legally binding 'carbon budgets', aiming to cut UK emissions by 34% by 2020 and at least 80% by the year 2050 through investment in energy efficiency and clean energy technologies, to avoid the implications of global warming and to reduce our unsustainable dependence on fossil fuels.
Our domestic transport currently contributes a fifth of total UK greenhouse gas emissions, and these are growing. International travel also produces greenhouse gas emissions. The transition plan will cut emissions from domestic transport by 14% compared to 2008 levels.
Highlights of the plan relevant to LATEST2 include:
- Continuing to improve the fuel efficiency of new conventional vehicles
- As a consequence of European directives, automotive manufacturers must comply with cutting average CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions from new cars across the European Union to 130 CO2 g/km average fleet limit in the near future, with full compliance by 2015. This will soon fall to 95 g/km by 2020, a 40% reduction from 2007 levels.
- Investing up to £30 million over two years in low carbon bus technology
- Delivering a lower carbon rail system through energy efficiency improvements and greater electrification.
- Click here to read the UK Government "road map" for tackling climate change and reduction in CO2 emissions.
