Britain targets 57 percent emissions cut by 2032

By Susanna Twidale LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will aim to reduce emissions blamed for climate change by 57 percent by 2032, the government said on Thursday. The target, based on 1990 levels, was suggested last year by a government advisory body, the Committee on Climate Change, as a part of Britain's fifth carbon budget (2028-2032). The country has a legally binding target to cut emissions by 80 percent on 1990 levels by 2050. To meet this, the government sets five-yearly carbon budgets. Britain needs to cut the amount of electricity it generates using fossil fuels, such as coal and gas, which provided around 50 percent of the country’s electricity in 2015. Power firms welcomed the announcement, but said the government would need to act to ensure enough low-carbon power generation is built. "It is vital that businesses receive all the support they need from government and industry to... enable them to make the necessary changes to their operations as we work towards a greener UK,” said David Reed, head of business solutions at npower, the British subsidiary of German utility RWE. The government plans to close coal-fired power plants by 2025 to help to meet its environmental targets but a lack of incentives to invest in replacement plants have led to concerns about potential power shortages. Amber Rudd, Britain's energy and climate minister, said on Wednesday that the government remains committed to fighting climate change despite last week's vote to leave the European Union. (Editing by David Goodman and Jason Neely)