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<p>Tackling climate change is a top priority for the Department. We were the first
major economy to legislate for a net zero target and have already made great progress
towards it. Since 1990 we have reduced emissions by 42% while growing our economy
by 72%.</p><p>The government’s Clean Growth Strategy and Industrial Strategy set out
strong frameworks to deliver the target in a way that maximises the economic benefits
of our transition to net zero. This includes building on our strengths in electric
vehicles and offshore wind. In 2018, 1 in 5 battery electric cars sold in Europe were
built in the UK[1] and we are spending nearly £1.5 billion out to 2021 to support
the take-up of ultra low emission vehicles. The UK has the largest offshore wind capacity
in the world, with 34% of global capacity[2]. At the latest contracts for difference
allocation round, 12 renewable electricity projects won contracts at record low costs.
The auction has delivered enough energy to power 7.2m homes by 2025.</p><p>On 15 October,
the Government published its response to the CCC’s latest annual Progress Report,
setting out the suite of recent announcements made in support of our net zero target,
and describing further actions that the Government will take to deliver net zero and
meet our carbon budgets. These include plans for the publication in 2020 of an Energy
White Paper, a Transport Decarbonisation Plan and a Heat Roadmap.</p><p> </p><p>[1]
<strong>OLEV (2019) fast facts briefing; ONS (2019) Low carbon and renewable energy
economy final estimates: <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/environmentalaccounts/datasets/lowcarbonandrenewableenergyeconomyfirstestimatesdataset"
target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/environmentalaccounts/datasets/lowcarbonandrenewableenergyeconomyfirstestimatesdataset</a>
(Updated 19/07/2019 Nelli Vanninen)</strong></p><p> </p><p>[2] <strong>GWEC (2018),
Global Wind report 2018,</strong> <strong><a href="https://gwec.net/global-wind-report-2018/"
target="_blank">https://gwec.net/global-wind-report-2018/</a>, (Updated 16/07/2019
Nelli Vanninen) </strong> last updated 07 May 2019 CED briefings</p><p> </p>
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