What's the climate plan?

The government is legally required to produce a climate plan under the Climate Change Act 2008, won by Friends of the Earth’s landmark Big Ask campaign.

In recent years, Friends of the Earth has twice taken the government to court for producing unlawful climate plans – and twice we’ve won. Our latest court victory in May 2024 forced the government to produce this new plan.

What is the climate plan?

The new climate plan sets out policies to reduce emissions so that we can meet our climate targets. It outlines how we'll decarbonise all sectors of the UK economy, from transport to agriculture. It had to outline how it’ll put the UK on track for net zero emissions by 2050 and meet the shorter-term targets that ensure action starts now and isn't kicked down the road. This includes the UK's pledge under international law to cut emissions by over two-thirds by 2030.

Over the last year, we’ve been campaigning to make sure the plan delivers this in a way that benefits all our lives. We want to  see lower energy bills, warm homes, clean air, better public transport and well-paid green jobs. 

How have we pushed for a bold and fair plan?

Local groups across the country have played a vital role in making the government’s new climate plan bolder and fairer.

The hard work of local action groups in engaging their communities and their MPs has ensured that the key decision makers - Ed Miliband (Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero) and Prime Minister Keir Starmer - knew people across the country expected real commitments from the climate plan.  

Campaign highlights included: 

• Building community support for the climate plan

Groups used our community message boards to collect messages about how better jobs, transport and warm homes could improve people’s lives locally – connecting climate action to everyday priorities. 

• Handing in The fairness test report to MPs

Groups shared our research report with their MPs, helping build understanding of why fairness must be central to climate policy and what ‘fairness’ looks like in practice. 

• Running local petitions and collecting postcards for MPs to send to the Prime Minister

Groups gathered signatures and messages to the Prime Minister, showing how much public support exists for real climate action to be taken. These build on nearly 40 thousand other petition signatures that were delivered to Downing Street.

• Taking part in The Climate Coalition's mass lobby of MPs

In July, more than 35 Friends of the Earth local action groups joined the national mass lobby, meeting MPs face to face to demand a fair climate plan. Several others took part locally in a week of action in September.

• Encouraging MPs to speak out publicly for a fair, ambitious plan

Groups organised numerous MP meetings, and engaged their MPs on social media and through local media outlets. They built pressure and asked their MPs to publicly support our call for a bold, fair and fully funded climate plan – resulting in many MPs advocating for the issue with the PM and raising the issue directly in Parliament.    

Mike Childs – Head of Research, Policy and Science says:  

We know from speaking to MPs and decision-makers that they feel the greatest pressure to act when their own constituents reach out to them. Local action group members have made a difference to this plan by pushing their MPs to speak up and raising it with Miliband, the Prime Minister and other key players.  

The plan still isn’t all it needs to be – but thanks to your efforts, it’s stronger than it would have been.  

Find out more

Join our webinar on 18 November to hear our analysis of what’s included in the climate plan and what’s missing.

Register on Eventbrite.

How can I take action?

The climate plan must be fully funded. One way to do so is to tax fossil fuel companies and the wealthiest individuals who tend to pollute the most. Not only are they most responsible for the climate crisis, but they’re also the most able to contribute. Share our petition calling for a tax on big polluters.  

Friends of the Earth will continue to hold the government to account on the commitments made in this plan. We’ll look for opportunities to influence the government and push them towards bolder and fairer action.

In the meantime, we believe local elections and Senedd elections happening in 2026 are a big opportunity to make an impact. We'll be sharing guidance in the coming weeks that explains what elections are happening, why they matter and how to get involved if elections are taking place near you.