The UK government's advisory committee on combating climate change expressed alarm about the slow rate of the switch to renewable energy, warning that the country was running out of time to meet its objectives.

The independent Climate Change Committee (CCC) said it was "markedly less" confident than a year ago that the country could meet its goals to cut carbon use by 2030.

Growing sales of new electric cars and new renewable energy projects provided "glimmers" of hope, it said but added that "the scale-up of action overall is worryingly slow."

Instead of urging people to cut back on high-carbon activities, the CCC said ministers were overly reliant on technologies that have not been widely adopted.

CCC Chairman John Gummer said "early action" was cheaper in the fullness of time and permitted looming environmental challenges to be met more easily.

"Yet, even in these times of extraordinary fossil fuel prices, Government has been too slow to embrace cleaner, cheaper alternatives and too keen to support new production of coal, oil, and gas," he added. 

Gummer spoke of a "worrying hesitancy by ministers to lead the country to the next stage" needed to arrive at the country's net zero commitments and urged them to commit to bolder delivery. 

"This is a period when pace must be prioritized over perfection," he said.

'No clear policy'

The UK made a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 68% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels at the UN climate change summit in Glasgow in 2021.

But emissions have so far only fallen 46%, the CCC pointed out.

"In only seven years, the recent rate of annual emissions reduction outside the electricity supply sector must therefore quadruple," it added.

"Time is now very short to achieve this change of pace." 

The CCC said the UK has issued "confusing signals" on its climate objectives, compromising its COP26 pledges. Since last July, the UK has had three prime ministers, including the brief-lived Liz Truss, who overturned a moratorium on fracking.

Under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, a new coal mine in northwest England has received clearance, and the government has indicated support for more North Sea oil and gas exploration.

The panel said the government has "no clear policy" to deliver its aims of decarbonized steel production, and upgrading the electricity grid to include renewable infrastructure, most notably onshore wind, is caught up in planning restrictions.

Additionally, the CCC advocated for more tree-planting, the use of domestic heat pumps, and a moratorium on airport expansion.

The UK has vowed to be carbon-neutral by 2050 and wants to cut its reliance on imported fossil fuels to stop its exposure to volatile price fluctuations.

After last year's record-breaking heat and frequent flooding, the CCC slammed the UK government's "lack of urgency" in adjusting to higher temperatures at the end of March this year.

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