A landmark report says the UK can make major cuts to carbon emissions more cheaply than previously thought.
The Climate Change Committee says that, for less than 1% of national wealth, the UK can reduce 78% of emissions by 2035, based on 1990 levels.
This brings forward the UK’s clean energy timetable by 15 years – a previously unimaginable leap.
The report says the low costs for the transformation are due to new clean technologies also being more efficient.
The authors say people can play their part by eating less red meat, curbing flying, driving less and installing low-carbon heating.
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They estimate the costs of the low-carbon revolution will scale up to an annual £50bn by 2030 from around $10bn today, with most being private investment.
By 2030, they estimate that some of these costs will be offset by fuel savings of £18bn.
Prof Euan Nisbet from Royal Holloway, University of London, who was not involved with the report, said: “This is a massively important report that maps out a whole new economy for Britain to create a better country.
“This shows it can be done. It can be afforded. This is world-leading, and it’ll persuade other countries also to follow the path.“
But sceptics say that the committee, which advises the government on climate matters, has underestimated the eventual bill and overestimated the government’s ability to deliver change on the scale projected.
