Climate Change – Government must listen to the public, says Business Committee Chair

The Government’s response is published on the anniversary of Climate Assembly UK, the first ever UK-wide climate assembly. 

(Please note: In the Government response, the attached pdf document, the BEIS Committee’s original report recommendations from July are included in bold type, the Government’s response is in plain type.)

Chair's comment

Darren Jones, Chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, said: “

The Climate Assembly UK has done the Prime Minister’s homework for him by agreeing the best ways to achieve our net zero target through incremental changes to the way we heat our homes, travel and live. The Government should listen to the public and now seize the opportunity to bring forward the policies to get to net zero.

“Ministers acknowledge the value of the Climate Assembly and recognise its importance as part of their evidence-base for policy-making on net-zero. But the Government must go further and faster in engaging the British public and in energising and motivating people about the net zero opportunities ahead of us. The clock is ticking to COP26 and the Government should not waste this chance to engage the whole country in the conversation around climate change.

“I urge the Government to stop kicking the can down the road and urgently come forward with the host of net-zero related initiatives they have promised, including the Treasury’s Net Zero Review. I hope the Government will use their Net Zero Strategy to set out a bold and ambitious public engagement plan to build consensus and maintain public trust in the policies needed to transition to net zero.”

The BEIS Committee’s report in July called for the Government to provide a point-by-point response to the recommendations of the original Climate Assembly UK report. In the Government’s response, published today (see paragraphs 32-37 of the pdf for further info), the Government declines to  provide a point-by-point response and instead refers to the substance of its original submission to the BEIS Committee’s Climate Assembly inquiry.

Background – Climate Assembly UK: where are we now?, Thursday 8th July

Report - Climate Assembly UK: where are we now? HC 546 See also news item.

In its report, published in July, the BEIS Committee called for the Government to follow the principles set out by Climate Assembly UK and ensure fairness underpins the transition to net zero.

The BEIS Committee’s report made a series of recommendations to Government on public engagement and education, on deliberative democracy, and on the net zero transition, in order to capitalise on the work of Climate Assembly UK (CAUK).

Further information

• About Parliament: Select committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch committees

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