The UK 2050 Calculator is an energy model that simulates national energy and emissions to provide a detailed, decision-based impact analysis on land use, emissions and energy, energy flows and electricity breakdown [1]. The tool was designed specifically, to model a diverse area of the UK economy and the resulting greenhouse gas emissions to illustrate the level of change, as well as potential trade-offs that will be required.
Although three variations of the model were created, the web tool is aimed at expert stakeholders, such as officials, politicians, technicians and industry, whilst remaining accessible to the general public [2, 1]. It allows long-term, strategic planning to quickly compare the impact of several energy and emission pathways in achieving the UK Government’s 2050 emissions reduction targets. This is achieved through a detailed list of possible scenarios, - influenced by consumer habits, industry and commerce, transport and the energy sector - each with four possible trajectories representing the level of change induced [1].
Overall, the tool aims to answer numerous questions, especially those regarding possible pathways the government could follow to achieve its emission goals, the long-term energy supply, as well as if government will be able to meet energy demands of a
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This failure to meet its target is heavily influenced by the current government’s focus on reducing the UK’s debt to GDP ratio which impedes on its current ability to allocate emissions reducing incentives and subsidies to all sectors of the UK economy. However, it should be noted that if international freight and aviation were not included into the 2050 calculator, the pathway would achieve its 80% reduction target by