UK Law and Practice Contributed by: Ruth Knox and Julian Wolfgramm-King, Paul Hastings LLP
extinction risk and, by 2050 to reduce extinction risk tenfold. • Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (signed 20 May 1985; ratified 15 May 1987) and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (16 September 1987; rati - fied 16 December 1988). • Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (signed 6 September 1973; ratified 1976), the only international convention dedicated to a specific ecosystem. • Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters, also known as the Aarhus Convention (signed 25 June 1998, rati - fied 23 February 2005) providing for public involve - ment in environmental issues including access to information and access to justice. 1.2 Regional Climate Change Legal Regimes UK–EU Relationship Prior to Brexit in 2020, the UK was involved in EU climate change initiatives as a full member of the EU, whereas now it co-operates with the EU as a third country. This relationship is governed by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement where the UK and EU agree to respect the Paris Agreement and UNFCCC process, promote the mutual supportiveness of trade and climate policies, and to fight against climate change in international fora. The UK has developed a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) (see 2.3 National Land Regime ) that is substantively equivalent to the EU’s CBAM, and it has agreed to link its Emissions Trading System with the EU’s Emission Trading System to allow carbon prices paid in each jurisdiction to be recognised in the other for the purpose of CBAM. The UK has also entered a North Seas Energy Cooperation Memoran - dum of Understanding with the EU to advance off - shore renewable energy development in the North Seas. UK Constituency The UK’s NDC commitment under the Paris Agree - ment is an economy-wide emissions reduction target for England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and for those Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories
included within the UK’s ratification of the Paris Agree - ment. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has oversight of the UK’s international and domestic energy and climate policy. Energy is a reserved matter while certain environmental aspects, including climate policy, are devolved to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and to the Crown Depend - encies and Overseas Territories. The Climate Change Committee (CCC) is an independent body established under the Climate Change Act 2008 advising the UK government and the devolved administrations on emissions targets. The approaches taken differ across these regions. Northern Ireland’s Climate Change Act includes a net zero GHG emission reduction target by 2050 and a 48% reduction target by 2030. The NI Assembly approved a 77% GHG emission reduction target by 2040 against 1990 levels in December 2024. The Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs will publish five-yearly Climate Action Plans which will set out how each carbon budget period will be achieved. Amendments made to Scotland’s Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 by the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2024 established a net zero GHG emission reduction target by 2045. The amendments also introduced a carbon budget based framework for setting targets. Carbon budgets cover a five-year period and are based on advice received from the CCC. Wales’s emissions reduction targets are set through the Environment (Wales) Act (2016). In March 2021, the Welsh Assembly committed Wales to achieving net zero emissions in 2050. Carbon Budget 2 (2021– 25) is subject to a 37% average reduction, with no international offsets, Carbon Budget 3 (2026–30) is subject to a 58% average reduction and 2030 is sub - ject to a 63% reduction. The English Devolution and Community Empower - ment Act 2026 devolves further powers to a Strategic Authority in every part of England and the legislation was subject to criticism that it should have included duties to contribute to national and international cli - mate targets.
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