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Chris Stark, @theCCCuk, says this is a 'crunch moment' for the CCC, thanks to renewed interest in climate change and #NetZero emissions, ahead of the Committee's forthcoming advice to Government on the UK's long-term #climatechange targets, due out on 2 May 2019 #UKClimateAction 
Chris takes us back to 2008, and the CCC's initial advice to Government which was commensurate with keeping global temps to below 2degsC - an 80% reduction in emissions below 1990 levels - which Parliament agreed. But 'a great deal has changed' since then he adds #UKClimateAction
"We have to stop burning fossil fuels or start sequestering carbon, or both," says @ChiefExecCCC, and we "are now on the clock". If not, "we risk locking in a set of emissions that will not be easily unwound. The impacts are now really upon us," he adds #TowardsNetZero
@ChiefExecCCC Global warming can no longer be described as a 'future issue' says Chris Stark, before offering 5 key thoughts on where the UK now stands on tackling climate change. #TowardsNetZero @BusinessGreen
@ChiefExecCCC @BusinessGreen The first of these is the UK's role as a global leader. GHG emissions have fallen 42% on 1990 levels, while the UK economy has grown by around 70%. "The international signal of the UK setting and achieving a tougher target can be a powerful signal to other countries", Chris says.
@ChiefExecCCC @BusinessGreen The second is costs and benefits. "In our retrospective on the last ten years, it's now clear that the costs of some of the key transition technologies are much lower than we thought they would be in 2008," @ChiefExecCCC says at #TowardsNetZero @BusinessGreen event.
@ChiefExecCCC @BusinessGreen The third of these is good policy design: "Good policy design is absolutely vital to keep costs low and maximise benefits", Chris Stark says. "Good policy provides a stable long-term direction", he adds, "but we do not currently have many policies with these hallmarks in place."
@ChiefExecCCC @BusinessGreen Fourth: the scale and speed of the transition is critical: "'A transition to a near-zero carbon economy is now technically achievable [...] so it is possible, but that does not mean it's feasible [...] UK needs a fundamental shift in policy approach to the long-term transition."
@ChiefExecCCC @BusinessGreen Fifth is governance: "It is legitimate to start a discussion about how well prepared the institutions of Government are for what comes next", Chris says, saying Climate Change Act has served us well so far, but is about to be tested as never before #TowardsNetZero @BusinessGreen
@ChiefExecCCC @BusinessGreen "Many of the policies that will drive progress will not be designed in Westminster, Chris Stark says. "They are for Scotland's, Northern Ireland's and Wales' Parliaments to define and they may even be defined at a more local level", he adds. #TowardsNetZero
