UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch faces backlash for rejecting the UK’s 2050 net-zero goal, despite previous pledges to Tory MPs to uphold green targets.
As reported by The Guardian, Kemi Badenoch faces criticism for reversing her stance on Britain’s 2050 net zero pledge, despite assurances given to Tory MPs during her leadership campaign.
What did Chris Skidmore reveal about Badenoch’s net zero stance?
Chris Skidmore, a former Tory energy minister and a key figure in the UK’s net zero review, has said Kemi Badenoch assured several Tory MPs during a 2022 leadership hustings that she backed the UK’s net zero policy. However, her recent dismissal of the target has raised concerns, with opponents accusing her of political inconsistency and misleading her party once again.
Mr Skidmore stated he recalled
“how she told a Conservative Environment Network hustings of 60 MPs that I organised with [former business and energy secretary] Alok Sharma for the leadership in 2022 that she believed in net zero – and made that promise in private to us all.”
He added,
“While I was conducting the net zero review, I spoke with her during a cabinet committee meeting chaired by Cop[26] president Alok Sharma and she restated again the importance of net zero for green trade and building international supply chains,”
adding,
“So the speech [last] week seems surprising, especially as it seems to also U-turn on a 2024 manifesto commitment.”
The Conservative ex-minister said,
“True Conservatives are not reactionaries like Reform – they know that the best way to predict the future is to shape it and not turn your back on it. For those voters who are anti-net zero and don’t take climate change seriously, they won’t be turned – after all, it just strengthens in their own minds the case for voting for Reform.”
Mr Skidmore continued,
“So it’s a very odd strategy that will cost votes in the local elections, with more moderate Conservatives now likely to turn away from Badenoch, while strengthening Reform at the same time.”
What did Lord Deben say about Kemi Badenoch and net zero?
Lord Deben, former Tory minister, slammed Kemi Badenoch for ignoring expert advice on net zero. He claimed she failed to engage with senior figures or heed official findings.
Mr Deben stated,
“You would have thought she would have talked to the Climate Change Committee, which was set up under the Conservatives to provide such independent advice.”
He warned that Badenoch’s approach could severely harm green investment and hurt the UK economy. The ex-minister also cautioned that prolonging dependence on oil and gas would result in soaring electricity prices.
What did Ryan Shorthouse say about net zero?
Ryan Shorthouse, executive chair of the Bright Blue think tank, stressed that polls over the past decade consistently reveal climate action and environmental improvements as top concerns for voters under 40. His organization was the first on the centre-right to advocate for a legal net zero target by 2050.
Mr Shorthouse said,
“There is independent and rigorous evidence showing that net zero emissions in the UK is achievable by 2050, but only if good policies are put in place now to support people on modest incomes with the costs and changes of the transition. There will be unsustainable costs to both our environment and economy if we do not achieve net zero emissions by the middle of this century.”
He continued,
“Grownup politics means moving beyond political posturing and political polling and focusing instead on designing and implementing detailed, pro-market policies to reduce carbon emissions. Conservatives should recognise the significant long-term economic benefits from green growth, especially in coastal and industrial areas, and the importance of passing on a better environment to the next generation.”
What did Kemi Badenoch say about net zero?
The Tory leader faced criticism from green Tories after dismissing the net zero policy, stating that politicians must be honest with voters. She argued that achieving that target was ‘impossible’ without severe economic consequences.
She said,
“We’ve got to stop pretending to the next generation. We’ve got to stop government by press release,”
adding,
“It’s exactly the reason that the political class has lost trust. The only way that we can regain it is to tell the unvarnished truth – net zero by 2050 is impossible.”
Ms Badenoch told Parliament in 2022,
“Our latest estimates put the costs of net zero at under 2% of GDP – broadly similar to when we legislated for it two years ago – with scope for costs of low-carbon technologies to fall faster than expected.”
London School of Economics research about net zero
The London School of Economics revealed that reaching net zero by 2050 would initially cost 1% to 2% of Britain’s annual GDP. However, the shift is projected to cut costs significantly by 2040.
UK’s net zero target for 2050?
- UK net zero goal 2050: Achieve near-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
- Aim: Balance emissions with removal from the atmosphere.
- Key Actions: Transition to clean energy, enhance energy efficiency, and use carbon capture technologies.
- Legally Binding: Britain committed to net zero under the Climate Change Act (2008), with amendments in 2019.
