Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 26
26
Accepted
Paragraph: 131
Despite the UK’s heavy dependence on oil for transport, and transport’s status as the highest...
Conclusion
Despite the UK’s heavy dependence on oil for transport, and transport’s status as the highest emitting sector, it is barely mentioned in the British Energy Security Accelerating the transition from fossil fuels and securing energy supplies 85 Strategy and was left out of the new national ambition to reduce energy consumption by 15% by 2030. We acknowledge the Government’s leadership in setting a date to end the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles in 2030 and the encouraging rate of growth in the sale of electric vehicles. We note however that it may take many years for a full turnover of the vehicle fleet and that transport emissions have flatlined for the last decade. For the UK to meet its successive carbon budgets under the Climate Change Act 2008 and the Paris Agreement, transport emissions must start coming down more rapidly.
Government Response Summary
The government states that decarbonising transport is a priority and references the Transport Decarbonisation Plan (TDP) published in 2021 that sets the sector on an ambitious path to net zero by 2050.
Paragraph Reference:
131
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
62. As the UK’s largest emitting sector, decarbonising transport and reducing its contribution to climate change is a priority. To this end, in 2021 DfT published the Transport Decarbonisation Plan (TDP) to set the sector on an ambitious path to net zero by 2050. The TDP – and subsequent Net Zero Strategy – also made clear how we will capture the significant co-benefits this transition will deliver for our energy security, environment and economy.