On 29 October 2025, the UK Government has published its new Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan, setting out how the UK will stay on track to meet its legally binding decarbonisation targets through to 2037.  

Carbon budgets place a cap on total greenhouse gas emissions over a five-year period and allow the government to measure progress towards net zero by 2050.  

To date, six carbon budgets have been set, covering 2008 to 2037. The newly published plan focuses on Carbon Budgets 4, 5 and 6 (2025–2037), setting out the steps needed to cut emissions while growing the economy.  

The UK has already met and exceeded its first three carbon budgets (2008–2022) and is on track to meet the fourth (2023–2027). Overall, the nation has achieved a 54% reduction in emissions between 1990 and 2024, making it the first major economy to halve its emissions. 

Better Cleaner Transport  

The UK’s transition to a cleaner, more efficient and better-integrated transport system is “well underway,” as the document states, highlighting the country’s position as Europe’s largest electric vehicle (EV) market in 2024. 

The UK Government is set to increase access to zero- emission vehicles, considered a “catalyst for economic growth”, investing to: 

“Add to the more than 86,000 public chargepoints already available in the UK, with a further 100,000 expected to be installed as a result of the Local EV Infrastructure Fund and £6 billion of private investment committed to 2030, alongside a pioneering £25 million scheme for local authorities to expand access to cheaper at-home charging” 

The plan states that electric cars are cheaper to run and help cut air pollution, which remains a big risk to public health. 

Long-term exposure to air pollution is linked to an estimated 26,000–38,000 deaths each year in England, costing the economy at least £27 billion annually in healthcare, lost productivity and reduced quality of life. 

Freight and logistics will also play a key role. The plan highlights the creation of a zero-emission fleet of vans and heavy goods vehicles, cutting emissions while boosting efficiency across supply chains. 

CIHT welcomes the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero’s Delivery Plan’s strong focus on accelerating the rollout of EV charging infrastructure nationwide. 

CIHT’s is currently developing a policy report on the challenges of delivering EV charging infrastructure across the UK. We encourage government to ensure the network’s geographical distribution delivers comprehensive coverage for all areas and users. 

You can find out more about this work here: Challenges of rolling out EV charging infrastructure | CIHT 

CIHT looks forward to working with the Department for Transport and the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero on rolling out electric vehicle infrastructure in the UK and progressing the UK’s transition toward achieving Net Zero.