UK must offer more incentives for renewable energy

• 8 years ago (2015-06-30)

Europe 1061 Renewables 751

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The Committee on Climate Change said on Tuesday, in its annual report on the country's carbon-reduction efforts, that clear policies are required to ensure the UK stays on course to meet its self-imposed greenhouse gas targets. The UK has pledged to cut 80 per cent of heat-trapping emissions by 2050, based on 1990 levels.

Government actions towards programmes that encourage renewable power and heating will determine billions of pounds of investments across the construction, energy and transport industries.

Matthew Bell, the committee's chief executive officer, said: "A whole series of policies end during the course of this parliament, and investors are trying to make decisions that will result in projects and revenues in the 2020s in the absence of much visibility over policy."

John Gummer, the committee's chairman and a Conservative former environment secretary, said: "We have said what is the most cost-efficient way of doing it and they have decided not to do it in that way... they must say what they're going to do"

The recent uncertainly around UK government policy ties in with the recent decision to remove onshore wind-farm subsidies.