News from the Committee on Climate Change this morning is heartening, but a call to action of sorts. The costs of reaching the target of an 80% reduction in emissions by 2050 in the UK - estimated last year as around 2% of GDP over that period - were already low in comparison with the very obvious benefits of ensuring we meet that target. But now it looks as though the costs are expected to be well below even that very affordable level.  

But the news from Chris Stark, who is the Committee's chief executive and the UK's independent statutory adviser, is not all good. While the costs of decarbonising are very low (and decarbonising will improve the lives of millions of people through improvements in the likes of air quality and housing conditions), what we lack is a coherent plan for how to get there.  

We can all play a part in reducing carbon emissions. Individuals can look to change their energy providers to green energy, make energy efficiency improvements in their homes, buy local and make plenty of small changes to our behaviours. Businesses can do all of these things, and more, making changes to their business travel, supplier transport miles, and so on. Local authorities, social housing providers and others in the public sector have a very clear role to play in reducing carbon emissions through improvements to new and existing housing, district heating networks, investing in low-emission city centre initiatives, re-greening efforts, more carbon-conscious procurement, and by being thought leaders and advocates for a lower-carbon future.  

We can do all of this, whether or not there is a coherent and sufficiently ambitious plan from central Government which coordinates those efforts. We know that this work needs to happen now, and not be deferred to a highly uncertain future. Funding those initiatives is imperative - but is cheap at half the price.