Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 21
21
The Department recognises that climate change is a global challenge requiring a global solution.
Conclusion
The Department recognises that climate change is a global challenge requiring a global solution. The Strategy identifies international collaboration as a key aim for the UK’s presidencies of COP26 and the G7. The Strategy further commits to lead by example internationally on climate policies, in part by building on a strong foundation of domestic action.78 However, its credibility can legitimately be questioned when the government has delayed the introduction of new Greening Government Commitments which set targets to reduce emissions from central government departments and arm’s-length bodies and has not been clear about how its consideration of an application to open a new coal mine in Cumbria, and extraction of fossil fuels at the Cambo oil field off the coast of Shetland fit into its net zero strategy.79 OGUK, a representative organisation for the UK offshore oil and gas industry, told us that in March, together with the Department and Oil and Gas Authority, it published the North Sea Transition Deal. Both OGUK and the Department expect the deal to harness the expertise of the UK offshore oil and gas industry to help meet net zero, and that it is the first deal of its kind by a G7 country.80
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Winter 2024 6.2 The Net Zero Strategy set out how the government plans to help empower people to make informed choices about the goods and products they buy and services they use by exploring how the government better labels these with their emission intensity and environmental impact. This includes: • Work with the Financial Conduct Authority to introduce a sustainable investment label • The use of product labelling to show the durability, repairability and recyclability of products, • Exploring the evidence base for environmental labelling within food production and disposal, • The government is taking action to ensure that products are more sustainable, both in relation to their energy efficiency during use and use of materials over their lifetime • The government is exploring updating and expanding 'Ecodesign' product regulation which sets minimum requirements to phase out the least energy and resource efficient products from the market. 6.3 In December 2021, the government published a Call for Evidence ‘Towards a market for low emissions industrial products’ to explore policy options to grow the market for lower emissions products, with a view to potential introduction as early as 2025. 6.4 In March 2022, the government established a cross-government Ecolabelling Group to enable a joined-up approach to ecolabelling. The group aims to ensure the public receive clear and easy, consistent and transparent messaging on a range of products and services, to maximise alignment and efficiencies, and to enable best use of ecolabelling within a broader set of policy measures.