Select committee: Environment and Climate Change Committee
Recommendation 8
1st Report - In our hands: behaviour change for climate and environmental goals
Published 12 Oct 2022
Paragraph 58
Environment and Climate Change Committee Mobilising action on climate change and environment: behaviour change All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
The Government must be more open about the changes to behaviour that will be needed to meet the UK’s climate and environmental goals. We call on the Government to develop a public engagement strategy by April 2023 to: (1) communicate and fill the gaps in understanding about the types of changes needed to reach net zero, reduce our environmental footprint and adapt to climate change, and (2) initiate a dialogue with the public about which policies can best enable change and how. Tapping the potential in public concern about climate change and the environment could help accelerate the transition to a greener UK. Conversely a lack of communication and engagement from government risks a delayed and disorderly transition. We offer further recommendations on public engagement in Chapter 8.
From: Environment and Climate Change Committee, 1st Report - In our hands: behaviour change for climate and environmental goals, paragraph 58, 12 October 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 21 December 2022 (deadline 12 December 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government welcomes the committee's report and states that it has "carefully considered all the committee's conclusions and recommendations", responding mainly by pointing to existing strategies and policies, with some further action to follow.
- On the public engagement strategy sought by April 2023, the response points to the Net Zero Strategy and says a revised 25 Year Environment Plan will set out the approach to "enabling green choices, including through engagement".
- On a frequent flyer levy, the government says it "was minded to retain APD as the principal tax on the aviation sector", citing concerns about administrative complexity and data handling. It does not commit to a call for evidence.
- On Covid-19 lessons, it agrees there "may be useful lessons" and says it "will take this recommendation into consideration" as part of ongoing policy development.
- On Extended Producer Responsibility, it recognises its importance and says it will consult next year on reviewing existing producer responsibility systems. It is "considering" options for textiles.