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Dear Kevin,

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Thank you for your email dated 31st August enclosing correspondence from environmental groups in your constituency, regarding the IPCC report. I apologise for the delay in responding.

The UK has already shown great progress tackling carbon emissions. Over the last three decades, the UK has achieved record clean growth and has met its world-leading climate change commitments. Between 1990 and 2019, our economy has grown by 78% while our emissions have decreased by 44%, this is the fastest reduction in the G7. In addition, the government has laid legislation for the UK’s sixth carbon budget, a target which would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 78% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels. This is in line with the latest science as the level recommended by our expert advisers at the Climate Change Committee.
 

The Prime Minister is building on this progress and has set out his Ten Point Plan for the UK to lead the world into a Green Industrial Revolution. This innovative programme sets out ambitious policies and £12 billion government investment to support up to 250,000 green jobs, accelerate our path to reaching net zero by 2050 and lay the foundations for our green recovery by building back greener from COVID-19.
 

The Ten Point Plan could unlock three times as much private sector investment by 2030 and sends a clear signal to industries across the UK economy to invest in the UK’s cleaner, greener future. By taking decisive action now, the UK will be in the best position to take ad-vantage of export opportunities in new, global emerging markets in low carbon technologies and services. This will help support levelling up and job creation and reinvigorate our industrial heartlands, including in the North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, the Midlands, Scotland and Wales.
 

Leading up to COP26 - in addition to ambitious plans across key sectors of the economy, including an Energy White Paper, Transport Decarbonisation Plan and Hydrogen Strategy - we will publish a comprehensive Net Zero Strategy, setting out the government’s vision for transitioning to a net zero economy, making the most of new growth and employment opportunities across the UK.

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I hope you and your constituent will find this reply helpful.
 

Yours ever
 

THE RT HON GREG HANDS MP

Minister of State for Energy, Clean Growth and Climate Change

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Date: 12 October 2021