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Climate Change Bill [HL]

I would very much regret it if we lost any reference to a percentage target from the Bill. If the first clause read, ““It is the duty of the Secretary of State to ensure that the net UK carbon account for the year 2050 is at least lower””, it would be a pretty limp beginning to a pretty important Bill. Let us not lose a target. I personally accord with the noble Lords, Lord Puttnam and Lord Woolmer, about the need to get that extra bit of work done to validate an increase in the target. A Bill that says that the carbon account should be at least 60 per cent lower gives us a backstop beyond which we cannot slide and sets us up well for a higher target, whatever that higher target is ultimately to be.