UK Government must significantly increase delivery to get back on track for net zero

Responding to the publication of the Climate Change Committee’s 2023 progress report to Parliament, Ben Westerman, Interim Executive Director at the Aldersgate Group, said: “The message from today’s progress report is clear, the UK must rapidly expand and accelerate supportive policy measures to ensure it delivers a net zero emissions economy by 2050. We are now entering a crucial period that will decide if the UK will meet its climate goals and secure the major economic benefits that a thriving low-carbon economy offers. Without an urgent focus on delivery, enabling policy measures and financial support to drive investment in the low-carbon industries of the future, the UK risks losing out to growing international competition from the USA and the EU. [1] In the past year, investment in the low carbon economy has fallen and to reverse that trend, the UK must accelerate progress to demonstrate its leadership both domestically and internationally.” [2]

“The UK Government must rapidly scale-up delivery and ambition in its climate policy programme to provide the market signals required to drive decarbonisation in crucial areas of the economy. For the built environment, Government needs to legislate for all properties to be Minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) EPC C by 2035, and for heavy industry, must publish a revitalised industrial decarbonisation strategy that provides a blueprint to increase UK plc’s global competitiveness in low-carbon products and industries. Crucially, Government must also progress skills development across all economic sectors to support the net zero transition and maximise its job creation potential, by developing a national low carbon skills strategy and updating apprenticeship standards. A concerted focus on delivering net zero offers a solution to many of the key challenges currently facing the country, presenting an opportunity to boost energy security, revitalise UK industry, create jobs across the country and alleviate the cost of living crisis. To ensure that the UK maximises these benefits, Government must take rapid action to scale up delivery across the economy.”