I stood on a manifesto at the last General Election that promised to reach net zero by 2050, by investing in clean energy and green infrastructure. I support this commitment.
Climate change is something that I am passionate about. I am proud that the UK was the first major economy in the world to pass laws to end its contribution to global warming by 2050. When I was Chair of the Transport Select Committee before becoming Rail Minister, I ensured that each inquiry we held incorporated the need to meet out Net Zero Targets (as transport is responsible for the highest levels of carbon emissions of any sector, at around 25% of total emissions). In our constituency, I have also enjoyed engaging with local green groups and holding community discussions about climate change and Net Zero during Great Big Green Week over recent years.
The approach this Government is taking is to unleash the power of technology, private enterprise (which is driving forward with the transition to Net Zero) and the dynamism of our free-market economy to harness the best of British innovation. Just as we did in the last industrial revolution, this approach will help to help create thousands of jobs in new future-proof industries. These plans are already seeing tens of billions invested in the UK in areas like Teesside and the Midlands creating thousands of good jobs. This process will also help to boost our energy security, something which has become more pertinent since the Russian invasion of Ukraine and bring down energy bills in the long run.
There is a global race to develop new green tech, kick-start new industries and attract private investment. Over 130 countries, comprising over 90 per cent of global gross domestic product, now have a Net Zero target set or under discussion. The countries that capture the benefits of this global green industrial revolution will enjoy unrivalled growth and prosperity for decades to come. If we delay our transition, we risk falling behind internationally, making our eventual (and inevitable) transition significantly more expensive. Acting now, in a pragmatic way, will put the UK at the forefront of large, expanding global markets and allow us to capitalise on export opportunities in low carbon technologies and services. I do not want to see the UK left behind.
Progress since 2010
A lot of progress has so far been made in transitioning away from fossil fuels. The economy has grown by 78% in the last three decades while emissions have reduced by 44%, faster reduction than any other G7 nation. Last year, overall, 51% of electricity came from renewable and nuclear power, compared to 33% from gas and coal power stations. The use of coal continued to fall; in 2023 it generated just 1% of electricity compared to 2012 when it was 43%.
Britain’s wind farms also contributed a record 29.4% of the country’s electricity in 2023. The share of wind power in Britain’s electricity mix last year was up from 26.8% in 2022. In January 2023, more than 21.6 GW of electricity was produced by wind for the first time. That record was again broken on 21 December when 21.8 GW was generated by wind turbines. UK’s combined onshore and offshore wind capacity now stands at around 28.5 gigawatts; enough to power around 20 million households a year, which is around two-thirds of all UK homes.
What is the Government investing?
The Government has committed £30 billion of domestic investment for the green industrial revolution at Spending Review 2021, £6 billion for energy efficiency for 2025-28 at the Autumn Statement 2022, and up to £20 billion for CCUS announced at Spring Budget 2023. Since November 2020, over 80,000 green jobs are currently being supported or are in the pipeline across the UK economy as a result of new government policies and spending.
In March 2023, the Government published The Net Zero Growth Plan setting out how it plans to reduce emissions and transition to a Net Zero economy. This is an ambitious plan, but it is important that other countries follow suit, particularly those which emit more harmful emissions than us. I am optimistic that the leadership the UK is showing, and our global diplomatic power, will convince other significant polluters to play their part.
The Government is also investing in Carbon Capture and Storage, delivering on our net zero ambitions while creating 25,000 jobs and driving £10 billion of investment. This will cut bills, cut emissions, and cut our dependence on foreign imports, safeguarding our long-term energy security, supporting families with the cost of living, and delivering on the Prime Minister’s pledge to grow the economy.
Why has the Government recently made a number of policy revisions?
Although there have been recent revisions made to UK’s path to net zero by 2050, I can assure you that the Government is still committed to net zero by 2050 and the agreements the UK has made internationally.
The Government, however, is looking to approach this in a more pragmatic, proportionate, and realistic way. These revised plans will ease the burden on working people, as the Government has made it clear that the plans to meet net zero will only succeed if public support is maintained. You can read further about these changes in the links under the ‘Net Zero’ tab found to the left of this article.
This realism does not mean losing our ambition or abandoning our commitments. Far from it. I am proud that Britain is leading the world on climate change. Our politics must again put the long-term interests of our country before the short-term political needs of the moment, changing the way we do politics.
The UK has set the most ambitious target to reduce carbon emissions by 68 per cent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels – and is the only major economy to have set a target of 77 per cent for 2035.