Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 28
28
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 139
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has overall responsibility for net zero delivery,...
Conclusion
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has overall responsibility for net zero delivery, but the gaps in its British Energy Security Strategy suggest that it is failing to drive the departments responsible for other high emitting sectors, such as transport and buildings, to accelerate their own contribution to energy security and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Government Response Summary
The government says DESNZ and DLUHC work closely together, and they remain committed to meeting the net zero emissions target by 2050. They describe current building standards and the Future Homes Standard, and refer to the Transport Decarbonisation Plan.
Paragraph Reference:
139
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
67. DESNZ and DLUHC work closely together on some climate change policy areas. As the department for housing policy, DLUHC has a lead role in delivering the homes this country needs, both in terms of quality and supply, and we want to see high quality, energy efficient and climate change resilient homes across all tenures. 68. The Government remains committed to meeting its target of net zero emissions by 2050 and recognises the important contribution that the energy efficiency of buildings has to make in meeting it. We must ensure that the energy efficiency standards we set through the Building Regulations for new homes and buildings put us on track to meet the 2050 target. By improving energy efficiency and using renewable energy in new buildings, we can reduce carbon emissions and improve energy security within the UK. 69. From 2025, the Future Homes Standard will ensure that new homes produce at least 75% less CO2 emissions compared to those built to the 2013 standards. These homes will have very high fabric standards and be extremely energy efficient. Similarly, the Future Buildings Standard will ensure that new non-domestic buildings are highly efficient and have the best fabric standards possible. 70. In December 2021 the Government introduced an uplift in energy efficiency standards, which came into force in June 2022. As a result, new homes are now expected to produce around 30% less CO2 emissions and new non-domestic buildings are expected to produce 27% less CO2 emissions. We expect that renewable electricity generation, such as solar panels, will be widely used to meet the new standards. 71. The Government’s world-first July 2021 Transport Decarbonisation Plan – Decarbonising Transport: A Better, Greener Britain – detailed 78 commitments setting the sector on the path to net zero by 2050, helping to meet carbon budgets and reducing reliance on fossils fuels on the way. We have committed to publishing an updated plan within five years to ensure our approach remains suitable and sufficiently ambitious and considers the latest emerging factors. 72. As the Chancellor announced in his Autumn statement, the Government will soon publish more detail about its approach to delivering energy security, consistent with achieving Net Zero by 2050.