The government’s own advisers today warned that it is not going far enough in the battle against global warming.
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) said ministers may be left with egg on their face if they host the UN’s next climate change conference without getting their own house in order.
It is a “get real moment” for the government, Chris Stark, the CCC’s chief executive told reporters.
His committee, whose net-zero emissions target was put into law last month, said ministers now had to push for action.
Britain has “not yet increased the policy ambition to match” its lofty legislation, Stark warned.
The Transition Pathway Initiative, whose members include the Church of England and the Environment Agency Pension Fund, said only one in eight businesses had cut emissions enough to keep global warming below two degrees.
Meanwhile 25 per cent of companies are not reporting emissions.
CCC boss Stark stressed the government needs climate change policies which benefit companies as the “heavy lifting will be done by businesses”.