University of Sussex
Browse
1-s2.0-S0959378013001076-main.pdf (849.62 kB)

The political sustainability of climate policy: the case of the UK Climate Change Act

Download (849.62 kB)
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 16:39 authored by Matthew LockwoodMatthew Lockwood
This paper assesses the forces working for and against the political sustainability of the UK 2008 Climate Change Act. The adoption of the Act is seen as a landmark commitment to action on climate change, but its implementation has not been studied in any depth. Recent events, including disagreements over the fourth carbon budget and the decarbonisation of the electricity sector, shows that while the Act might appear to lock in a commitment to reducing emissions through legal means, this does not guarantee political lock-in. The assumption, made by some proponents of the Act, that accountability of political leaders to a public concerned about climate change, via Parliament, would provide the main political underpinning to the Act is criticised. An analysis of alternative sources of political durability is presented, drawing on a framework for understanding the sustainability of reform developed by Patashnik. It is argued that the Act has helped create major institutional transformations, although the degree to which new institutions have displaced the power of existing ones is limited. The Act has produced some policy feedback effects, especially in the business community, and some limited investment effects, but both have been insufficient to withstand destabilisation by recent party political conflicts. The Climate Change Act remains at risk.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Global Environmental Change

ISSN

0959-3780

Publisher

Elsevier

Issue

3

Volume

25

Page range

1339-1348

Department affiliated with

  • SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2019-01-28

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2019-01-28

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2019-01-25

Usage metrics

    University of Sussex (Publications)

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Licence

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC