The Act establishes a legally binding target of at least an 80% cut in GHG emissions by 2050, against a 1990 baseline. It also creates 5-yearly “carbon budgets” as a pathway to meet the long-term target. The fourth carbon budget, for 2023–2027 approved by parliament in 2011 and reviewed in 2014, puts into law a target to reduce emissions by 50% from 1990 levels by 2025 (the midpoint of the budget period).
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) – a new independent, expert body to advise the government on the level of carbon budgets and on progress in meeting these budgets.