1.2 Climate Change Act 2008

The Climate Change Act 2008 established a framework for the UK to achieve its long-term goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to ensure steps are taken towards adapting to the effects and impact of climate change. It covers the following elements:

• setting emissions reduction targets in statute and carbon budgeting;
• a new reporting framework which provides for a system of annual reporting by the UK government on the country's greenhouse gas emissions;
• the creation of an independent advisory body, the Committee on Climate Change, to advise the UK government and devolved administrations on how to reduce emissions over time;
• trading scheme powers which includes powers to enable the UK government and the devolved administrations to introduce new domestic trading schemes to reduce emissions through secondary legislation;
• adaptation – the Act sets out a procedure for assessing the risks of the impact of climate change for the UK, and a requirement on the government to develop an adaptation programme on matters for which it is responsible;
• policy measures which reduce emissions.

Click here [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] for the Climate Change Act 2008.