UK Inquiry Tracker

Greening the post-Covid recovery

Environmental Audit Committee Closed Inquiry

Opened: 13 May 2020 Closed: 27 Jul 2022 Parliament page

In May the Committee held a session on the environmental implications of the Covid-19 crisis. Witnesses stressed how critical it would be to align the post-crisis recovery stimulus with the UK’s goals on climate change, biodiversity and sustainable development – given the short window of opportunity remaining to keep global … Read more In May the Committee held a session on the environmental implications of the Covid-19 crisis. Witnesses stressed how critical it would be to align the post-crisis recovery stimulus with the UK’s goals on climate change, biodiversity and sustainable development – given the short window of opportunity remaining to keep global temperature rises to a manageable level. The Committee has since agreed to launch an inquiry looking at how to align any post-pandemic economic stimulus package with the UK’s climate and environment goals. Economic impact and policy response The coronavirus pandemic has triggered a global macroeconomic shock unprecedented in peacetime. UK Gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 10.4% in the three months from February to April – with monthly output collapsing by 20.4% in April after the lockdown was introduced. As the UK emerges from the initial public health crisis, the economic challenges may intensify as the Government tapers its employee and business support packages. In Oct 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned that time is running out to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global temperature rises to 1.5°C. In this context, Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change from 2010-2016, explained to the Committee how critical it is that climate change mitigation is at the heart of the post-COVID recovery: "Those rescue packages, US$10 trillion to US$20 trillion, will not only be defined but very likely allotted over the next 18 months. Because of the scale, they will determine the characteristics of national economies and of the global economy for several decades. It is exactly this decade, between 2020 and 2030, where climate science has been lucidly clear that we need to halve our emissions, reduce to 50% the emissions that we have right now." The Committee also heard from Professor Cameron Hepburn, Director of the Economics of Sustainability Programme at the Oxford Martin School, about the potential for green investment to boost the economy, providing more jobs; delivering higher short-term returns per pound spent by Government, and leading to increased long-term cost savings. Global leadership In 2021 the UK will be hosting COP26 and will also hold the G7 Presidency. This provides a platform for the UK to take an international leadership role and galvanise a green and climate-friendly global response to the economic crisis caused by the pandemic. The Committee’s inquiry will consider how the post-pandemic recovery can be aligned with the UK’s climate and environment goals and the role that the UK can play in driving a green recovery internationally. For further details read the inquiry's Terms of Reference. Show less

29 Recommendations

9 Conclusions

1 Report

3 Oral sessions

4 Letters

4 Events

Activity timeline 10 events

22 Jun
2021

Report published

Second Special Report - Growing back better: putting nature and net zero at the heart of the economic recovery: Government and Bank of Engl…

17 Feb
2021

Report published

Third Report - Growing back better: putting nature and net zero at the heart of the economic recovery

17 Feb
2021

Correspondence

Letter from the Bank of England to the Chair on addressing the financial risks of climate change, dated 8 February 2021

25 Jan
2021

Correspondence

Chair to the Governor of the Bank of England, concerning the post-Covid recovery, dated 22 January 2021

14 Jan
2021

Correspondence

Chief Nursing Officer for England to Chair regarding single-use plastics and PPE, dated 18 September 2020

3 Dec
2020

Oral evidence

Panel 1; Panel 2

24 Sep
2020

Formal meeting · Virtual meeting

Greening the Covid recovery: Session 2

23 Jul
2020

Oral evidence

9 Jul
2020

Correspondence

Letter from UK Health Alliance regarding Principles for a Healthy Recovery

21 May
2020

Oral evidence

Environmental Audit Committee

Oral evidence sessions 3 sessions

3 Dec 2020

View on parliament.uk

Panel 1; Panel 2

Andrew Forth · Royal Institute of British Architects Dr Steve Melia · University of the West of England Konstanze Scharring · Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) Martha McPherson · Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP), University College London (UCL) Professor Jim Hall · National Infrastructure Commission Sarah Gordon · Impact Investing Institute Stephen Fitzpatrick · OVO Energy

23 Jul 2020

View on parliament.uk

Oral evidence

Caterina Brandmayr · Green Alliance Dimitri Zenghelis · Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment Melanie Leech · British Property Federation Richard Benwell · Wildlife and Countryside Link Sue Ferns · Prospect Trade Union Tom Thackray · CBI

21 May 2020

View on parliament.uk

Environmental Audit Committee

Christiana Figueres · United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Professor Cameron Hepburn · University of Oxford Professor Frank Kelly · Imperial College London Professor Kate Jones · University College London Professor Tim Lang · City University London's Centre for Food Policy Steve Waygood · Aviva Investors

Reports 1 report · click to expand

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
Third Report - Growing back better: putting nature and net zero …	HC 347	17 Feb 2021	38	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 results

6 Recommendation Deferred

Third Report - Growing back better…

We further recommend that the Government establish clear and ambitious statutory targets for the state...

We further recommend that the Government establish clear and ambitious statutory targets for the state of nature, waste minimisation, water quality and air quality under the Environment Bill once enacted. (Paragraph 50) 72 Growing back better: putting nature and net … Read more

Government Response

The government states that the Environment Bill creates a duty to set long-term, legally binding targets in priority areas and is working towards a public consultation on proposed targets for early 2022, thus deferring the actual establishment of targets.

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10 Recommendation Deferred

Third Report - Growing back better…

It is a matter of grave concern that the carbon intensity of the UK corporate...

It is a matter of grave concern that the carbon intensity of the UK corporate sector remains aligned with global temperature rises that would be catastrophic. We welcome the news that the Bank of England is exploring how it can … Read more

Government Response

The government states it is for the MPC to decide but notes the Bank of England will provide more information on its proposed approach to adjusting the Corporate Bond Purchase Scheme in the coming months, aiming to adapt by Q4 2021.

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37 Recommendation Deferred

Third Report - Growing back better…

One of the most economically efficient ways to incentivise low-carbon choices would be through the...

One of the most economically efficient ways to incentivise low-carbon choices would be through the introduction of an economy-wide carbon tax. The Government should begin scoping work on a carbon tax to incentivise low-carbon changes across the whole economy. Read more

Government Response

The government states that the Treasury’s Net Zero Review will consider the role of tax, alongside other levers, in meeting net zero, and highlights existing carbon pricing mechanisms like the UK ETS and Carbon Price Support.

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Government Response AI assessment · 38 of 29 classified

Accepted 16

Accepted in Part 3

Acknowledged 3

Deferred 3

Not Addressed 10

Rejected 3

Total 29 recs + 9 conclusions

Correspondence 4 letters

17 Feb 2021 To committee Letter from the Bank of England to the Chair on addressing the financial risks of climate change, dated 8 February 2021

Parliament page

25 Jan 2021 Chair to the Governor of the Bank of England, concerning the post-Covid recovery, dated 22 January 2021

Parliament page

14 Jan 2021 Chief Nursing Officer for England to Chair regarding single-use plastics and PPE, dated 18 September 2020

Parliament page

9 Jul 2020 To committee Letter from UK Health Alliance regarding Principles for a Healthy Recovery

Parliament page