Committee publication · Correspondence · 11 June 2026
Letter from Secretary of State for the Department of Energy Security & Net Zero relating to the Government’s response to the Committee’s Seventh Carbon Budget Report, 2 June
From: Environmental Audit Committee
Inquiry: Carbon Budget Seven follow-up
Summary
Secretary of State Ed Miliband informs the Environmental Audit Committee that the government will propose legislation setting the Seventh Carbon Budget at 535 MtCO₂e (87% emissions reduction from 1990 baseline by 2040), aligned with Climate Change Committee and EAC recommendations. The letter transmits the government's formal response to the Committee's March 2026 report, addressing the budget level, delivery mechanisms, parliamentary scrutiny, and sectoral roles.
Key findings
- Government proposes Seventh Carbon Budget at 535 MtCO₂e, equivalent to ~87% emissions reduction in 2040 from 1990 baseline
- Target aligns with recommendations from both Climate Change Committee and Environmental Audit Committee
- Budget will shape UK's emissions pathway from 2038 to 2042 and support net-zero 2050 trajectory
- Government positions the target as 'ambitious, credible and deliverable' within context of energy security and protection from fossil fuel price volatility
- Government response addresses Committee recommendations on budget level, delivery, parliamentary scrutiny, and sectoral contributions to emissions reductions
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security & Net Zero, Toby Perkins MP, Chair of Environmental Audit Committee, Climate Change Committee, Environmental Audit Committee
Notable line
“Fossil fuel shocks have driven around half of UK recessions since 1970. Our long-term pathway is the best way to strengthen our energy security and protect households …”
Key Quotes
“The government is proposing to Parliament that the seventh carbon budget is set at 535 MtCO ₂ e, equivalent to an ~87% reduction in emissions in 2040 from a 1990 baseline …”
“Against a backdrop of geopolitical instability and volatile energy markets, we are setting an ambitious, credible and deliverable target towards clean, domestic power and faster electrification.”
“Fossil fuel shocks have driven around half of UK recessions since 1970. Our long-term pathway is the best way to strengthen our energy security and protect households from future fossil fuel price shocks.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗