Think tank the Institute for Government urges the Cabinet Office to create new 'net zero unit' and for more progress on encouraging people to switch to electric vehicles. It adds that the Department for Transport does not have a 'clear set of agreed targets about the speed of the switchover to EVs' which is necessary to plan the roll out of charging infrastructure.

It goes on to claim that the UK has not yet confronted the scale of the task of meeting net zero, over a year on from adopting the 2050 target. Meeting the commitment will require, it adds, 'transformations in every sector of the UK economy, sustained investment over three decades and substantial changes to everyone's lives'.

The report also calls on Government to publish a coherent plan setting out, sector by sector, how emissions reductions will be achieved and when decisions will be made where technology options are uncertain. It also needs to work out how to pay for the shift to a carbon neutral economy, which could cost up to 2% of GDP a year.

The Treasury is urged to make net zero a big theme of the Spending Review and
produce a tax strategy to support net zero.

If the UK fails to show that it is serious about its climate change targets, the think tank warns, it risks wasting 'a golden opportunity to demonstrate leadership in the fight against climate change' when it hosts next year's rescheduled COP26 summit.

“Net zero is the biggest challenge facing Government,” said the Institute for Government's senior fellow Jill Rutter. She called on it to “think long term, work with business, take the public with it and use the best science and technical expertise to ensure the UK reaches net zero at least cost to the economy”.

She added: “The Prime Minister has said he is committed to the goal – he needs to show that the UK has a plan to get there.”

In response, a Government spokesman said: “We are driving efforts across Government to ensure we can go further and faster in achieving net zero by 2050. We have a strong record in tackling climate change, cutting emissions by 43% since 1990.

“Tackling climate change is central to building back better from Coronavirus and we are providing global leadership through our presidency of the COP climate conference in Glasgow next year.”

Elsewhere a final report will be published by Climate Assembly UK tomorrow setting out priorities for Government in order to reach net zero by 2050, and a separate study from the European Environment Agency on Monday said the most vulnerable people in society are hit hardest by pollution.

Also this week the Transport Planning Society and Living Streets have launched a poster competition for primary schoolchildren to promote environmentally friendly ways to travel to class.

The competition runs until 5 October and entries can be made here. Winners will be announced on Transport Planning Day on 16 November.

(Photograph: Gutekesk7 – Shutterstock)