Lord Turner to step down as head of climate watchdog
CO2 reduction news - by GreenWise staff
21st December 2011
Lord Adair Turner has said he is to step down as chair of the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), which he has headed since the watchdog launched four years ago.
Lord Turner cited the need to focus more on his role as chair of the
Financial Services Authority (FSA), which he took over in 2010, for his resignation as chair of
CCC. He will step down in spring 2012.
The CCC, which advises the Government on greenhouse gas emissions reductions, formed in 2008. As chair, Lord Turner has been influential in encouraging Government to strengthen its approach to tackling climate change, including setting a binding target to cut CO2 emissions by 80 per cent by 2050. Other notable achievements include getting the Government to pass four carbon budgets into legislation. The CCC has also made recommendations to Government on electricity market reform, which have been taken forward.
Criticism
However, there are signs Lord Turner and the CCC are becoming increasingly frustrated with Government
green policy. Lord Turner’s resignation today follows an unprecedented
open attack on the Government’s Green Deal yesterday. In an open letter, the CCC said its multi-billion pound
energy efficiency scheme would end up insulating two to three million homes – far less than the 14 million target the Government has said it must reach by 2020.
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne today praised Lord Turner’s contribution at the committee. "Lord Turner has brought invaluable economic insight to the climate change debate," Huhne said. "He will leave the Committee on Climate Change with a strong legacy based on credible, evidence based analysis, which is a great credit to him. We have been lucky to have had the benefit of his experience and I am grateful for the work he has done."
The Department of Energy and Climate Change said it had begun the process of a recruiting a new chair for the CCC.
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