ShareSave
Political reporter
Joshua Nevett
Political reporter
ShareSave
Kemi Badenoch has said it is “impossible” for the UK to meet its net zero target by 2050 – a goal set by a previous Conservative government.
The UK is legally committed to reaching net zero by 2050 under a law passed by former Tory Prime Minister Theresa May in 2019. It means the UK must cut carbon emissions until it removes as much as it produces, in line with the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.
In a speech, Badenoch said net zero cannot be achieved by 2050 “without a serious drop in our living standards or by bankrupting us”.
The Conservative leader did not set out an alternative target date, but said she would consider doing so if her party found a better way of delivering net zero.
Hitting back at Badenoch’s speech, Baroness May said the 2050 target was “challenging but achievable”.
“Delaying action will only harm the next generation and increase both the economic and social costs of climate change,” she added.
Badenoch’s words mark a sharp break from years of political consensus on net zero.
The shift in approach comes after Reform UK set out more details of how it would scrap net zero targets, one if its key pledges at the last general election.
Last month, the party’s deputy leader Richard Tice said his party would focus on extracting more fossil fuels and recover money paid in subsidies to wind and solar companies
The post Net zero by 2050 ‘impossible’ for UK, says Badenoch first appeared on EnviroLink Network.
