May announces that the United Kingdom aims to reduce polluting gases to zero by 2050

A new British government plan announced on Wednesday to tackle the problem of climate change aims to reduce the gases that pollute the environment to zero by 2050.

The United Kingdom thus becomes the first major industrialized country to set itself this goal, which has been well received by environmental groups such as “Extinction Rebellion”, which a few weeks ago organized a series of street protests to force the Government to take concrete measures in the face of global warming.

Reduction of polluting gases

British Prime Minister Theresa May said today that reducing pollution will be beneficial to the health of the population and will cut public health costs.

“This is the time to go further and faster to safeguard the environment for our children. We have to lead the world towards a cleaner, greener form of growth,” said the head of the government, who will be replaced next month as Conservative leader and prime minister.

The UK is currently legally committed to reducing emissions by 80% by 2050, but the Government plans to amend that law to set a target of a zero cut.

This goal will mean that emissions of polluting gases from homes, transport, agriculture and industry will have to be avoided altogether, according to the media.

Temperature below 1.5 degrees

The so-called Committee on Climate Change, which advises the government, recommended in May to have “zero” as a goal.

That committee considered that, if other countries follow the measures of the United Kingdom, there will be more chances of placing below 1.5 degrees Celsius the rise in temperatures by 2100.

The Government will present today in the lower house a legal instrument to accelerate the parliamentary process of this plan, since it is expected that all parties will give their approval.

Working with young people

In addition, the Government reported that a group of young people will advise it on environmental priorities, in what is considered to be a response to recent campaigns by young people to alert the world to climate change.

In a statement, “Extinction Rebellion” expressed satisfaction with the Executive’s plan and stressed that it is the result “of pressure from the population, which is forcing politicians to face the existential reality of the climate and ecological emergency.”

Meanwhile, Laurence Tubiana, architect of the Paris climate change agreement told the BBC that this is a “historic commitment” that she hopes will be answered by the world.

Change of habits of the population

According to experts, to reach the zero goal, the country will have to end the use of gas heaters in homes, implement greener electricity and switch from diesel or fuel-powered vehicles to electric ones, while people will have to walk and ride more bicycles.

They also estimate that the population will have to consume less meat and dairy and travel less by plane.

Source: EFE Green