The government is broadly right to use the objective of limiting the rise in average global temperature to no more that 2℃ as the backbone for its targets and budgets, says the latest report of the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC), published last month. Itrnwarns, however, that the government must be ready to establish credible emissions reduction pathways that go well beyond what is currently regarded as "politically possible".rnThe committee recommends that the government should move to a target of a 42% cut in CO_2 emissions by 2020, only moving to increase the 2020 target once it is on track to meet its current targets and budgets. This would entail arnstrengthening of existing policies and the bringing forward of new measures, which must be rigorously monitored. The committee urges the government to drive up the price of carbon steadily to a level where renewable and low-rncarbon investments become economically viable.
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