Italy-UK Partnership

PARTNERSHIP | Autumn 2020 06 Could the pandemic be the opportunity for the UK to pursue a green recovery? The coronavirus recovery plan might push the UK to reach their 2050 goals E nergy is essential for a wide variety of purposes in everyday lives: from driving vehicles to cooking, from heating our houses to generating electricity. The United Kingdom’s energy needs are met from a range of different sources. Among these, carbon-based fuels - natural gas and petroleum - still provide the vast majority of the UK’s energy input, increasing the level of greenhouse gas emissions. Already before the coronavirus pandemic, the UK had pledged to tackle climate change and to cut its CO2 emissions to net zero by 2050. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, during his speech launching the COP26 Climate Summit on 4th February 2020, said that the country “has now committed to £11.6bn in tackling global climate change and in financing climate initiatives around the world”. When the new virus erupted in China and quickly spread around the world, the majority of countries implemented very strict rules in order to try to prevent coronavirus from spreading. The British Government put the whole nation in lockdown starting from 23rd March. Most businesses were forced to shut, with people being asked to stay at home and every commercial activity connected to tourism and leisure time being temporarily shut. Planes were grounded. In the midst of this apocalyptic scenario, one good result: the levels of pollution in the UK, and globally, suddenly dropped. Citizens, organisations and private companies soon started demanding the British Government to put the protection of the environment at the heart of any post-Covid-19 economic stimulus package. Although the economic crisis has proved to be the worst on record and many people lost their lives, an opportunity could arise for Britain and for all the world: it is the moment to become more sustainable and to drive the whole planet towards a green recovery. THE 2050 NET-ZERO TARGET The six major greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride. The first is produced by burning fossil fuels, the others through industrial processes and waste management, for instance in agriculture. In 2018, according to the Institute for Government, the UK emissions were at 57% of their 1990 levels. Commenting on the feasibility of the final goal, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) said that it would be challenging, but possible, as the UK was not fully on track with its plan. The highest-emitting sectors are transports, energy supply, business (commercial electricity) and residential (heating). Scotland is confident they will reach the goal by 2045, thanks to their abundant land and forests; while Wales will face more difficulties due to high agricultural emissions. The net-zero objective requires large investments - forecasted as £50bn per year - but will bring uncountable benefits for the environment and human health, thanks to better air quality.