Trade policy can and should be a key tool to reduce the UK’s carbon footprint and deliver the government’s net zero commitments. Policies to tackle consumption emissions and carbon leakage are central to this. The government has recently launched a consultation looking at carbon border mechanisms and related carbon leakage policy.

This briefing sets out:

• Why we need to tackle consumption emissions and carbon leakage
• How this will benefit the UK economy and support net zero
• Specific design and implementation recommendations for carbon leakage and consumption emissions policies