Yesterday’s announcement that Ministers have decided to accept in full the proposed 4th budget of the Government’s advisory body, the Climate Change Committee, is very welcome. It means putting the country on course to cut carbon emissions from 550m tonnes a year now to some 390m tonnes by 2027 – a cut of 29% – as a mid-way marker to a reduction target towards about 200m tonnes by 2050. What this amounts to is the systematic replacement of the fossil fuels – coal, oil and gas – by renewable sources of energy, mainly wind and solar power, wave and tidal power, carbon capture and storage of carbon emissions from remaining coal and gas power stations, and perhaps some nuclear energy. It’s the right decision, but will it actually be carried through? There are good reasons for having doubts. Continue reading →