The UK should keep net zero as the destination but overhaul the architecture that gets us there
Those in the climate community will argue that the last thing we need is a debate about the UK’s climate targets. But the debate is already upon us. Reform wants to scrap the net zero target. The Conservative Party has pledged to repeal the Climate Change Act. The question is no longer whether Britain’s climate framework will be challenged, but whether those who believe in climate action can shape what comes next.
The answer demands honesty. A recalibration is overdue, and pretending otherwise will only increase the chances of more damaging reversal. On one side, you have those who claim that many of Britain’s economic problems are largely the fault of the UK’s net zero target. This is patently false. There are far more credible hypotheses for Britain’s malaise, from a lack of political stability to nimbyism and planning bottlenecks. And there are significant benefits from the energy transition, from cleaner air to greater energy security and new industrial opportunities.