Government increases from 60% to 80% its target for cutting carbon emissions by 2050
The new energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband has accepted proposals to raise the UK's emissions reduction target to 80% by 2050.
The move, a significant rise from the previous goal of 60%, was recommended by Adair Turner's climate change committee earlier this month.
Environmental campaigners and the scientific community have spent months lobbying for more ambitious targets and will welcome the change.
The minister also announced that amendments would be made to the Energy Bill to introduce a feed-in tariff to promote small-scale renewable electricity.
In his first speech to parliament in his new role, Miliband said: “The government accepts all of the recommendations of the committee for climate change and we will amend the Climate Change Bill to increase the target to 80% by 2050.”
Greg Clark, shadow secretary for energy and climate change, welcomed both announcements.
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