Financial Times: ‘Gas strategy’ threatens carbon targets

The head of the committee on climate change has criticised the chancellor for including a scenario in his “gas strategy” document that would jeopardise carbon reduction targets.

Under the strategy, to be published on Wednesday alongside the Autumn Statement, the government will authorise some 26 gigawatts of new gas production, equivalent to 20-30 extra power stations, replacing old coal, nuclear and gas plants.  

But the document is expected to outline three scenarios, one of which would involve a much greater 37GW of new gas plants and a rewrite of the UK’s plans to make significant carbon reductions by the mid-2020s.  MORE