Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 45
45
Acknowledged
Revised NPPF lacks explicit reference to embodied carbon, limiting emission reduction.
Conclusion
The revised NPPF does not contain explicit reference to embodied carbon, despite a widely held opinion that the NPPF must play a central role in supporting low-carbon housing. This oversight limits the NPPF’s ability to minimise carbon emissions from new buildings and undermines efforts to meet the UK’s emission reduction targets. (Conclusion, Paragraph 152)
Government Response Summary
The government published a consultation on a new NPPF in December 2025, including proposed changes to climate change policies. They are still reviewing the evidence on measuring embodied carbon and considering policy options, citing other related initiatives already underway.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
83. On 16 December 2025 Government published a consultation on a new NPPF which included proposed changes to the climate change policies of the NPPF. This includes a proposed decision-making policy on climate change mitigation which sets out that development proposals should take advantage of opportunities to re-use existing structures and materials. 84. The commitment to conduct a consultation on the measurement of embodied carbon was made under the previous government. The Government is taking the time to properly review the available evidence and consider policy options. There are many elements of work going on across Government to reduce embodied carbon, such as the Low Carbon Products Consultation, Circular Economy Strategy, and the Steel Strategy. As these policies take effect and the industries in the supply construction chains decarbonise, the embodied carbon emissions of buildings will fall in turn. We continue to assess the evidence to consider the best way forward for measuring and reducing embodied carbon in new buildings.