Environment ministry has no plan to meet target for lower emissions

George Eustice, the environment secretary, is seen by some as too close to the farming lobby
George Eustice, the environment secretary, is seen by some as too close to the farming lobby
TOBY MELVILLE/REUTERS

The environment secretary George Eustice is under pressure from Downing Street after a leaked memo revealed that his department still had no plan to meet its carbon emissions targets.

All ministers have been told by Boris Johnson to develop workable strategies to cut emissions in their sectors as part of his roadmap to net zero by 2050.

However, an internal memo revealed that, despite being responsible for a tenth of the total UK emissions, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) had yet to agree policies that can deliver this.

Eustice is also facing criticism from environmental groups who believe he is watering down commitments made by Michael Gove to use Brexit to reform farming and combat climate change.

Some see Eustice