A leading governmental advisory group is calling for increased car taxes to help pay for a ‘green recovery’, with the UK facing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) is proposing a raft of changes to UK society to help the country get closer to its zero emissions target by 2050. And it seems cars and transport are firmly in their focus as the group suggests a number of measures which will directly affect the nation’s drivers.

A report by the CCC suggests that the government must bring forward the date for ending sales ICE cars to 2032, must raise taxes on fuel prices at a time when oil prices are low and make the option of walking and cycling easier in order to reduce car journeys. It’s suggested that some of the funds raised from these schemes could be used to subsidise low-emissions vehicles.

“It seems perfectly clear that we should increase the tax on the very low oil prices we have at the moment,” said CC chair Lord Deben. “We need to make people who choose the right way to do so cheaper than those who choose the wrong way.”

But critics of the report suggest that at a time of economic crisis the government is unlikely to prioritise climate changes initiatives over jobs and recovery. Researchers from a major journal on Climate Policy have also warned that the report is headline seeking and that UK emissions plans are not as rigorous as required to help restrict global climate heating.

Speaking to BBC online, Prof Kevin Anderson said: “The trouble is that the committee isn’t looking at what needs to be done – it’s looking at what it can say without being politically ignored. That’s very different.”

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