By Fiona Harvey for the Guardian.

fired power generation by the end of this decade, according to the government’s climate change advisers, but only if gas pays its fair share through a carbon price.

In order to meet these expectations, investors must gear up in the next few years to put new money into all low-carbon sectors, and government must give them the policy signals they need in order to do so, said Matthew Bell, chief executive of the Committee on Climate Change.

Lord Deben, chair of the committee, added: “The 2020s are crucial in setting the direction for UK power generation, and to ensure the UK can meet its 2050 climate change commitments cost-effectively. The key tools are already in place to deliver the investment in low-carbon generation that is required.