Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has proposed cutting UK greenhouse gas emissions by 87 percent by 2040, extending the government's environmental agenda into a seventh carbon budget. The legally binding target, based on 1990 levels, aims to protect household finances while driving private investment in clean energy. Parliament must approve the measure by June's end, setting up a showdown over Britain's green trajectory.

The proposal follows a 54 percent reduction in UK emissions since 1990, with the government claiming £90 billion in private clean energy investment since July. Carbon budgets were established under the 2008 Climate Change Act, later strengthened by the Conservatives under Theresa May to achieve net zero by 2050. However, climate policy has fractured along party lines, with critics arguing the UK has offshored emissions and questioning the economic costs of lower-carbon technologies.

Opposition parties swiftly condemned the move, with Conservatives and Reform UK pledging to dismantle climate legislation. Shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho argued the government should prioritize cheaper electricity over green targets, calling the proposal a attempt to raise energy bills. Bob Ward of LSE dismissed such criticism as unscientific, noting that Reform and Tory politicians have aligned with Donald Trump in downplaying climate science. The heated debate reflects deepening divisions over the UK's environmental future.