Climate Change Bill [HL]

We have had a useful debate. I am not seeking to cut corners, but in the interests of making a little more progress before we finish, I shall give a brief response and hope that the implications will be clear. We have already discussed the fact that the Committee on Climate Change will review the 2050 target to see whether it needs to be tightened. That is a firm commitment. As part of the review, the Committee on Climate Change will also need to consider the implications for the 2020 target—you cannot do one without the other. The brief, as I said to the noble Lord, Lord Crickhowell, is probably the same and prepared by the same person as prepared David Miliband’s briefs—one has to be serious about continuity in Government here. Amendment No. 35 sets the upper limit on the 2020 target. It is designed to provide greater short-term certainty to business and should help to facilitate investment decisions necessary for paving the way to a low-carbon economy. We have conducted little analysis to date on the impact on the economy of reducing emissions beyond the 32 per cent, as that was felt already to be a challenging level. It is important that the analysis is carried out before any change is considered. That said, the Bill does not rule out reducing emissions by more than 32 per cent in 2020. That said also, I am prepared to take Amendment No. 35 away and to give it further consideration.