Missing the target: are local climate targets aligned with national net zero ambitions?

Sudmant, Andrew, Howarth, Candice ORCID: 0000-0003-2132-5747 and Lane, Matt (2022) Missing the target: are local climate targets aligned with national net zero ambitions? .

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Abstract

Climate emergency declarations made by local governments often include targets to reach net zero emissions, but it is unclear how these targets contribute to national commitments to reduce emissions or whether these targets are achievable. At the national level, the UK has set the ambitious target to reduce emissions by 78% by 2035, however, the UK is currently not on track to reach its 4th and 5th Carbon budgets, let alone the 6th Carbon budget. Using a bottom-up emission reduction pathway based on local authority (LA) emissions reduction targets we find that the UK would achieve its 6th Carbon Budget and its 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution if local emissions targets are achieved. More importantly, the targets set by local authorities could be missed by 39% in 2030 and 18% in 2037 and the UK as a whole would still be able to meet its climate targets. We discuss these results in the context of the current division of responsibilities between the national and local governments, the potential for, and consequences of, a gap emerging between the emissions of different local authorities, the capacity of local governments to meet net zero targets and the absence of regional government in the UK. We conclude that polycentric modes of climate governance, as are emerging from Climate Commissions developed in Leeds, Belfast, Edinburgh and 16 other local authorities across the UK, may play a key role helping to fill capacity gaps at the local and regional levels.

Item Type:	Monograph (Other)
Divisions:	Grantham Research Institute
Subjects:	T Technology > TD Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences
Date Deposited:	21 Nov 2024 17:21
Last Modified:	21 Nov 2024 17:24
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/126147

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