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ARTICLE · 18 DECEMBER 2008

The Climate Change Act: Real Legal Bite?

Eversheds Sutherland
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In late 2006 I wrote an article for the Times in which I stressed the importance of the new climate change bill having legal bite and binding targets, so that the government was held accountable and ministers faced penalties for failing to meet those targets.

United KingdomEnergy and Natural Resources
Michael Woods
Michael Woods
Anita Lloyd
Anita Lloyd

In late 2006 I wrote an article for the Times in which I stressed the importance of the new climate change bill having legal bite and binding targets, so that the government was held accountable and ministers faced penalties for failing to meet those targets.

Just over two years later we now have the Climate Change Act 2008 which received royal assent on 26 November 2008 after an eventful and lengthy progress through parliament. It has been hailed as groundbreaking, historic and even "world class" in setting binding greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets for the UK. But does it live up to expectations and does it really have that legal bite?

The Act is divided into five main parts dealing with:

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