Carbon Budget (UK) meaning

In this issue: Air emissions and climate change Contamination and pollution Energy efficiency and buildings Energy for environmental lawyers Environmental information Environmental taxes, reliefs and incentives ESG and sustainability Hazardous substances and chemicals Nature, biodiversity and habitat conservation Waste Water, flooding and drainage Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Air emissions and climate change Greenhouse Gas Removals (GGR)-UK government publishes Business Model documentation On 27 August 2025, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) released a suite of papers on its proposed Greenhouse Gas Removals (GGR) Business Model and accompanying policy. The Lexis+ Energy team, working with Navraj Singh Ghaleigh, Senior Lecturer in Climate Law at the University of Edinburgh Law School, set out the context for the GGR Business Model; its relationship with the Power BECCS Business Model; the technologies the GGR framework intends to encompass; its legal footing and principal features; and how...

In this issue: Air emissions and climate change Environmental enforcement and prosecutions Energy for environmental lawyers ESG and sustainability Hazardous substances and chemicals Key developments and materials Marine Waste producer responsibility regimes Wildlife, biodiversity and habitat conservation LexTalk Environment: a Lexis Nexis community Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Trackers Useful information Air emissions and climate change DESNZ has released the government’s response to the consultation on regulatory proposals for the CCUS transport and storage Revenue Support Agreement counterparty direction. The CO2 T&S business model aims to catalyse early carbon capture, transport and storage networks by providing revenue support. The response confirms it is suitable to move forward with regulations concerning the Secretary of State’s power to direct a counterparty to make an offer to contract. See: LNB News 29/02/2024 40. DESNZ has also opened a call for evidence to inform a future policy framework for...

In this issue: COP29 Air emissions and climate change Energy efficiency and buildings Energy efficiency of products Energy for environmental lawyers Environmental taxes, reliefs and incentives ESG and sustainability Nature, biodiversity and habitat conservation Waste Water, flooding and drainage Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Trackers New Q&As COP29 Looking ahead to COP29 The 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference—COP29—will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 to 29 November 2024. Paul Collins, a senior associate at Ashfords LLP, shares insight on the conference’s objectives and anticipated outcomes. See News Analysis: Looking ahead to COP29. UK government announces new climate change goals at COP29 At COP29 in Baku, the UK government set fresh climate objectives, pledging an 81% cut in emissions by 2035 against 1990 baselines. In line with the Climate Change Committee’s advice and the UK’s sixth carbon budget, this will constitute the...

ARCHIVED: This Practice Note has been archived and is no longer maintained. This tracker tool collates and outlines significant recent and forthcoming legislation in England and Wales, alongside consultations connected to climate action and emissions reduction goals. Under the Climate Change Act 2008 (CCA 2008), as amended by the Climate Change Act 2008 (2050 Target Amendment) Order 2019 SI 2019/1056, the UK is legally bound to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 100% from 1990 levels—achieving net zero—by 2050. There are also interim milestones: a 68% cut in GHG emissions from 1990 levels by 2030—set through the UK’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement (this excludes emissions from international aviation and shipping) a 78% cut in GHG emissions from 1990 levels by 2035—established via the UK’s sixth carbon budget These targets have spurred swift changes across recent energy and environmental policy and law. Retained EU law (REUL) refers to EU-derived rights and legislation...

ARCHIVED: This Practice Note has been archived and is not maintained. This tracker brings together and summarises key new and upcoming legislation in England and Wales, alongside consultations related to climate action and emissions reduction objectives. Pursuant to the Climate Change Act 2008 (CCA 2008), as amended by the Climate Change Act 2008 (2050 Target Amendment) Order 2019 SI 2019/1056, the UK is under a statutory duty to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 100% from 1990 levels—reaching net zero—by 2050. Further, the UK has the following interim targets: a 68% reduction in GHG emissions on 1990 levels by 2030—set via its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement (although the target does not include emissions from international aviation and shipping) a 78% reduction in GHG emissions on 1990 levels by 2035—set via the UK’s sixth carbon budget These targets have driven swift developments in recent energy and environmental policy and legislation. Retained EU law...

Introduction Climate change describes prolonged shifts in global temperatures and weather patterns. These may occur naturally, for example through changes in the solar cycle. Since the 1800s, however, human activity has been the principal driver of climate change, chiefly through burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. Their combustion releases carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), which trap heat in the atmosphere and are commonly called greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Clearing land and forests also releases CO2 that would otherwise remain stored in trees and soils. Energy, industry, transport, buildings, agriculture and land use are among the largest GHG sources. Rising global temperatures are bringing more extreme weather, including heatwaves, drought, and increasingly intense, devastating storms, occurring more often. In turn, these lead to water scarcity, severe fires, melting polar ice and flooding. The impacts are felt by people and nature at local, regional and global scales. Climate change is complex. It encompasses a wide array of inter-related impacts: direct and indirect, secondary and cumulative,...