The UK will miss its long-term, legally binding climate targets unless the government addresses energy efficiency in homes as a priority, a committee of MPs warned on 22 March.
In its report on household energy efficiency the Environmental Audit Committee said that the government’s legally enshrined target to be net zero carbon by 2050 will hit a “roadblock” unless urgent action is taken to improve energy efficiency of homes this decade. It also accused the government of underestimating the costs of decarbonising existing UK homes by 2050 – its net-zero deadline – by at least £35bn.
The committee also called for more action from government on regulating and measuring domestic energy efficiency. It said that social housing and rented properties are typically less energy efficient than homes owned outright by several Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) grades, leading to concerns that the EPC itself outdated and a revised methodology may be required.
With housing accounting for one-fifth of the UK’s domestic annual emissions, and with more than 80% of buildings standing today set to still be standing in 2050, these failures could jeopardise climate progress overall, the committee said.
