The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) have announced they are amending their 2020 work programme in response to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

The CCC will refocus its annual Progress Report to Parliament in June to include advice on supporting a resilient recovery following the pandemic, alongside the statutory assessment of the UK’s progress in reducing emissions.

Advice to Government on the level of the Sixth Carbon Budget (2033-2037) will be published in December 2020, instead of in September. The full statement can be found here.

This does not impact on the HSR Group’s associated activity, and we will continue to advocate for an ambitious approach to the carbon agenda. We will be publishing more on this in the next few weeks.

We have responded to the Environmental Audit Committee call for evidence on Possible Future Inquiries. Our response highlights the role high speed rail schemes, including HS2, could play in meeting the Government’s environmental aims. You can read the submission here: High Speed Rail Group EAC submission